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PRESENTED to the generous reader who presents $1 00 for Cosntopolite. To prea chers 5 per cent, more 




tsxAt pings |ltr antr mang pings gtto 

Including an Experience of tlie Writer, 




A. MEDDY, a Cosmopolite, 



SIX MONTHS A PRISONER FOR THE WORD OF GOD, THE TESTIMONY OF 
JESUS CHRIST, AND THE GUIDINGS OF THE HOLY GHOST. 



" Beliold the devil shall cast some of you into prison.''— J^sva. 

" So I come to do Thy will, God ! "—The Naz xrenb. 

" Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the ^am^s. "— JuDE . 

" We speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery -even the hidden wisdom which was 

ordained for our glory .'^ ^^ According , to the revelation of th^ Mystery, which 

haih been kept secret since the world began.'" — Paul, 



PUBLISHED BY 

A. REDDY & DE WITT BAKER, 






Entered according to Act of Congress, A. D. 1869, by 

A. REDDY & DE WITT BAKER, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Northern District of New York. 






CONTENTS AND INDEX 



CHAPTER I.— NARRATIVE. 

Nativity.— First Step. — Spirit's Guidance.— Strange Phenomenon. — The New Birth.— First Sign of Change. — 
Thirst for Knowledge of God.— Renewed, made Pure, Sanctified.— Vision of Christ and Angels. — A Speci- 
men of Purity.— Wife's Conversion. — Preaching to every Creature. — Lost and Re-gained Holiness.— Called 
to Preach First Sermon.— Recommendation, Traveled Circuit. — Mystery Explained, Peculiar Priesthood. — 
"Want of Independence.— Called to Leave AH.— Threatened with the Grave.— Called like Abraham.— Cruci- 
fixion, Death, ResuiTection, Unconcious State.— Life again and Motto given.— Tasted the Word of God. 
— Miraculous Warning. — Imposition of Hands. — Found Gift of Healing. — Threatened with Persecution, De- 
fience of the Devil.— Falling by the Power.— Sent to Cayuga County.— Lockport Scattered Flock Gather. — 
Rade Walls Dedication.— First Displays of Power.— Lame Healed. — Alarm.— Seven Hours Slain.— Town 
Salted.— Boatman Converted.- U.S.C.Indictment— Lawyer sent without Pay.— Two Sisters Fast. — Lockport, 
Immediate Revelation. — The Devil Conquered. — Saved from Suicide. — Healed Diptheria. — Healed of Lungs. 
— Union Springs again. — Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.— Screamed in. — Helpers in the Lord. — Four Sanctified. 
—Holy Ghost Laugh.— School House Closed.— Turned out of Tent.— Ingrate. 

CHAPTER 11. 

Plenary Inspiration.— Direction.— God's Seal.— Not Sui-prised.- Yision of Wolf and Lambs.— Colt Tied.— 
Doctor Saved.— Lambs Liberated.— Ruahford Camp-Meeting.— Religious Devils, Fii'st Appearance.— Little 
Paper.— Apostolic Faith.— Direct Answer to Prayer. — Sick Restored.— Lost Preacher Found. — Vision of the 
Lost in Hell.— The Burning Lake.— Sorcerer Discovered. — No Boands to Mercy. — Laying on Hands. — No- 
tice in Daily.— Vindication Published.— Gifts Imparted by Laying on Hands refen-ed to Timothy by Paul 
Paul by Ananias, Joshua by Moses.— The Holy Ghost Given. — Kings with Oil Anointed.— Type. — Element- 
ary Principles only. — Essential to a Church now as ever.— Christ and all like Him Misunderstood.- Woman 
Hypocrite, at Lockport. — Nazarite Woman in Jail. — John Anderson Song. — Divisions made by the Sinner. 
— The Poet Corrected.— Absent Eight Months from Home.— First Imprisonment Five Days.— Pilgrims 
Triumph through the Land. — Gl'ove Meeting Reception. — Sent to Lockport, some one Sick. — Laid on Hands 
— Arrested, Imprisoned at Buffalo.— Accusers Burned Out.— Lockport Jail. — ^Victory over Prison. — Pris- 
oners Praying.— Preached at Poorhouse.— Refused to be Greeted.— Gate Keepers.— Prison at Albion.— Walls 
of Jericho Flat. 

CHAPTER III. 

Vision at Baptism.— Encouragement from Jesus.— Trip to Ohio.— One Sanctified.— Spiritual Death.— Caze 
novia Camp Meeting.— A Cross. — Committee Threaten with Arrest.— The Pulpit and Prisoner.— Comment 
on Sermon.— Tiavail and Frtiit.— Happy Close.— Test of Faith.— God's Care as Father.- Gratitude.— A 
Kind, then Corrective Providence.— A Reproof for Planning for Self.— Satan Transformed, the Occasion of 
the Book.— Love, God's Nature. — Defence of Truth. — Landmark Removed.— Dangerous Heresy. — Cruci- 
fixion, Affections, Lusts.— The use of the Law.— Love Fullfils Law.— Sarcastic Note.— Blameless Violation 
of Sabbath.— The will of God above Law.— Motive and Spirit the Right or Wrong.— Idolatry of the Bible. 
—The Devils want the Bible now.— Htint for Moses' Body.— Bible Displacing its Author.— Not Murder, 
Obeying God.— Case not Adultery.— Onan Shrank Killed Judah and Fowler.— Lot's Daughters not Wrong. 
—Christ's Fatal Blow to the Devil and Penticost— The Spirit— His Gifts and our Guide Forever.— Subtlety 
of Satan.— Defence of Gifts.— Three Dispensations.— Spirit's Fullness to all Saints.— Danger of Blasphemy. 
—Keys Given.— Sciences used by the Devil.— Magician, Witchcraft.— Simon a Sorcerer. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Try Spirits.— A Test given, a Detector.— Confession of Christ, the Offensive and Test.— Short Sermon Test.— 
Confession, Rock of Church.— The Blind Man's Test and Victory. — Parents, Cowards, Slinks.— Thorough 
Test Rock. — Tests applied now. — Screaming Test, called Nazarite. — Reddyite consent-to- be-Slain Test.— 
Test of Teachers, not now a Test. — Daniel's and his fellows Tests.— Reckless Will. — Wesley on Reproach. 
— Nazarite a Test now. — Abraham's Test. — Same Dispensation, new Modes. — The jerks God's way to Con 
found the Devil. — Fault Finders and Grumblers.— God's Work, no Record.— Preachers Expelled. — The old 
Critter. — Work of Spirit not Comprehended. — Cause, Stevens' Death. — Judas heads Mob. — Women in Pul- 
pit, and Dancing. — Division.— Organization. — Gideon's Water-lapper for this War.— Shelby Camp-Meeting. 
—Washing Feet.— Free Dinner.— -Wedding a Great Test.— Bible treated like old Almanacs. 

CHAPTER V, 

A Sermon on Miracles. — Now as Ever. — Error Exposed.— All had Gifts, Men and Women, by the Spirit. — 
Old and New Testaments Miracles, same Author. — Stephen and Philip, not Apostles, had Miraculous Gifts. 
— Joel's Prophecy Fulfilled. — Not Withdrawn. — Fear of Reproach cause of Unbelief.— Five or Six Genera- 
tions had Gifts.— Promised to all who Believe.— Oil Anointing Heal Sick.— Unbelief Cause of Failure. — 
Some Healed now.— Delicate Cases God Adopts.— Light of Faith come again.— Love, the Power of Relief 
—Ranters.— Fondlings. — Laying on Hands Forbidden by a Chm-ch. — Uzzah's Blindness and Death.— Design 
of Demonstrations.— ^ew Signs not in the Bible but in Power. — Preacher Convicted. — These once Plenty. — 
— Supernatural Gifts, Modern Miracles, Signs. — Perfect Faith Secured. — Poetry. — Heaven ward Traveler. — 
God's Designs Thwarted.— Mistake of Reformers.— Luther, Wesley, the Ranters.- Pride and Legislation 



IV CONTENTS AND INDEX. 



against God. — Holy Ghost Insulted. — Nazarite Characteristic. — S;imson first Nazarite. — His Marriage. — 
Nazarites no Sectarians. — Adapted to Help All. — Not Organized. — A Sale. — Matrimony not Padlocked. — 
Bond of Union, Love.— Spirit of Truth Infalible Guide.— Scripture Lessons.— Claim all that God has given to 
Others. — What has been done. — Usurped Mimicry of Gifts. — Demand on the Church. — Nazarite Repudia- 
tion.— The Spirit's Agency. — Fatal Brink. — Only Way to God. — Holy Ghost Supreme here. — Saints' Inheri- 
tance. — The Keys given. — Sciences Satan's Advantage over the World. — God's only Method to Overthrow 
Saian.— God's Curse on Magicians, Sorcerers, Witches. 

CHAPTER YI. 

A Popular Preacher.— Resolutions Fatal to the Preacher. — Nazarites Voted Out.— Apeing Gifts, False Apos- 
tles. — Gifts Essential to a Church. — Insult to God Unsettled. —Resolution Passed. — Strange Mixture.— Want 
of a Guide. — Mission among Sectarians. — Princes of this World Ignorant. — Spirit and Word agree. — Testi- 
mony in the Spirit the Word of God.— Clarkson, Monroe County. — Occasion Suggesting this Book. — God's 
Plan Rejected, Patal. — Infatuation by the Devil.— Started for Home. — Rochester. — All Dark West. — Sent 
hack to Wayne County. — Homeward again, hut sent to Penn Yan. — Preached in Streets. — First Collection. 
— Preached at Poorhouse. — Commended with Fears, P. E. — Bluif Point District Meeting. — Blood's Corners. 
— First Wedding Sermon.— Class, M.WatkiDs'Astonishment.— Odessa Quarterly Meeting. — My Old Preacher. 
— Introduction to Alpine. — Laughing Power Text given. — Account Unfavorable.— Healed by Woman's 
Hands.- Oidained by a Layman. — Vote for God. — Read Parchments and Letter. — Demonstration God's 
Witness. —My Caution. — Answer to Prayer.— Stolen African Boy's Prayer Answered. — Healing Sick by 
Boy's Prayer and Hands. — William's Father Saved from Tremens. — The Spirit Grieved at Camp M. — Charge 
of Love-Feast. — Hypocrisy Rebuked.— Seven Slain Preachers Weep. — Nazarites Voted Away. — Shout in 
Camp, Preacher got Ashamed. — York Settlement, Love-Feast, FiA'-e Pell. — Wonder! Women Thrown on my 
Lap. — Grumbling Devils Disturbed.— Camp Inspired with Early Song.— The Spell Broken, Humiliation. — 
The Vow to Cui-e.— Prudence of a Preacher.— Dogged by the Devil.— A Child Healed 

CHAPTER Vn. 

Purity of Body and Soul. — Short Way of Salvation without Conditions.— Pure like Adam, like Jesus. — Pas- 
sions, Affections, not by Sin. — Lavish Love not the Devil. — Made for Exercise and Increase. — Old Bachelor 
made Selfish. — Pui-e Bodies, Maniacs avoid the Touch. — Trait Discoverer. — Devils behind Insanity.- Friends 
Hated. — Touch of Unbelievers Painful. — Touch of Doctor. — Dreadful Sensation. — Losing Strength by Hands. 
-Sick Healed by Hands. — Aprons, Handkerchiefs. — Touch, Secret of Success. — Preacher Slain by Touch. — 
Text given by the Spirit, — Sign for a Skeptical Preacher. — A Mii-acle. — God's Immediate Agency Super- 
natural needed now as ever. — God wants to show his Wonders.— Peter Released from Prison by Prayer. — 
Young Converts not Choked. — Above Philosophy. — God not Bound by Laws. — Happiness of all the Design 
of Love. — Fire a Pleasant Bath, no Pain to Martyrs. — Cannon-ball Illustration. — God's Agency now.— All 
Actions Designed. — The Warfare, God, Angels, Men versus Devils, Angels, Men. — God Invisible to Angels 
and Men. — Seen only by Faith. — Delay for the Devil. — A Sanctified Man Fightinsr God.— Saved from Pain, 
Promise in Child-bearing. — Devil the Aiithor of Pain and Death. — Experience of Three Mothers.— The Un- 
sanctified have more Children and Sorrows. — Children a Blessing to the Saved. — Samuel, Isaac, John the 
Baptist and Jesus, Miracle in each Case. — Possibility of Translation now Admitted by Poets.— Speaking 
Beyond Self. — Advantage Gained by Satan. — Common People Believe God. — Easy Yoke.— Fanaticism used 
lip.— Power in a Coat Throwed for God. — No time to try the Spirits.— The Spirit uses us and not we use 
Him. — No Saviour for Devils.— Never was Sin in Heaven. — Insubordination of Will., Sin.— A Preacher 
Drage;ed by the Heels.— Impatient Sanctification — A Woman Walking over Seat-backs.— The Devil Con- 
founded. 

CHAPTER Vm. 

Sexual Subject. — Things not Relished, want of Experience. — Commerce of the Sanctified.— Five Considerations. 
—Supplement.— Reformation Ruined by Unbelief and Jealousy.- Instinctive Union of Sanctified.— Conclu- 
sion Erroneous.- Preacher Expelled.— Mystery Explained.— Inventory Consecrated.— Sanctified Passions, 
not Dangerous in us, under God's Control.- Safely Led and Used a Delight to God.— Case to Explain Church 
Inconsistency.— One case to Solve Ruined Converts.— God's Deepest Work Connected.— My Firm Belief.— 
Education by the Spirit.— Truth Seen, called to Defend.— Exposed like Faust— New Ideas Strike the Ig- 
norant.— Held to Undisguised Terms.— Secret Usurpation, Objectors Note.— Lied into a Guilty Conscience, 
Ashamed.— Chaste Language. Tamed Tongue.— Faltering Attempts to Screen Backsliders.— Believe, Obey, 
and Knoio the Church, Preachers, Cowards.— Expelled for Greeting with a Kiss.— Church Law Suit.— Love, 
Deed, Action, a Disgrace.— Charity Thinketh no Evil.— Tried to Kiss the Preacher.— Repu]sed.—Answer 
Sought.— Sweet Spirit— Chilled.— Dilemma.— Saints Embraced were Dear.— Church now Padlocked.— 
Threatened with Derangement, however Delicate. 

CHAPTER IX. 

/rtomVi/. —Reason of Delaying this Subject— Not the Issue then, 1st, Christ the Messiah; 2d, Salvation by 
Faith; 3d, Calling the Gentiles.— Not the Will of God, then.— All things Common in Heaven.— The Church 
here the same.— No Schism, no Selfishness.— Religious Devils Monopoly now.— Chui'ch Decision and Letter. 
—Terms, Reconciliation, God-man.— Sanctification, Passions.- Help for Scrupulous Conscience.— Bold 
Prediction.— Helps to Licentiousness. Laws,Wrong.— Love not made by Law.— Matrimonial Society needed. 
— Mechanically Cheating God.— Murders, Abortion.— Supply at Hand.— Ship's Company.— African Woman 
and Snake.— Helped over the Bar.— Sanctified.— Supposed Reasons for Jerks.— Dry Machines run God in- 
stead of a Blessing.— Irish Catholic Saved.— Inconsistency.— Loss instead of Gain, Fletcher.— Blessing Dis- 
guised. — Disordered Will. — Invading the Devil's territory.— Plausible Reasoning. — Inheritance Re-taken. — 
Dread Holy Ground.— God's Attempts Thwarted.— Devils Ashamed.— Scared back. Condemned.— Reckless, 
then Successful.- Item by Item to Saints given.— Objects of Devil's EnVy.— Delicate Parts, Aprons' to 
cover.— Cause of Flood.— Paul's Description.— Home of God, Satan gone.— Holy Mimicry.- God's way with 
Samson.— Nazarite Song.— Samson under Grace.— Lawmaker's Sin Abound.— Satan used up.— Poetry, and 
Adieu to the Devil. 

CHAPTER X. 

A Case of Suicide. — Cause of it.— Independence of a Mother. — One Cause of Prostitution. — Celibacy of Priests, 
Nuns and Shakers. — Name of Eve, Womb-Man.— Error of Spiritualists and Mormans.- Supplanting the 
Church. — Abortion and Mui'derers.—Wronfr Advice to Mothers.— Infanticide and Suicide together.— Chris- 
tians Cheating God.— Heathen Wrong and Cruelty.— Murder by Law.— Twins, Male and Female.— Cause of 
Divorcement.— Disappointment, Dictation, Wrong. — Sexes, Enemies regarded.— Sin Complicated, Chronic. 
—Want of Counselors.— Fearful of Trust in God.— Blind Leaders and Teachers.— Real Holy Gho.sit Author. 



CONTENTS AND INDEX. 



— Spiritual Dyspeptics. — No Crazy person ever Licentious. — Impossibility. — Principle of Generation. — Cause 
of Disease out of place. — A Miss Offended. — A Blessing not a Curse. — A Wonder. — Difficulties in the way of 
Man-iage. — Illegitimate Children. — Never Blind, Idiots, Dumb, or Cripples. — Jephtah Rahab. — Marked with 
Talents. — Law not iu Force now. — Compliment not wanted. — Died Broken Hearted by Cruelty of Parents. 
— Transmission of Yitality.— Da%-id the King. — God's mode of Healing.— Elisha and myself. — Confession and 
Release. 

CHAPTER XL 

Mystery made Known. — New Ideas opposed by Persecution. — Martyi' Spirit only stands Tests. — New Founda 
tion the Church Frame. — Vision of the Night.— Mystery Revealed. — Hid in God a new Test of Faith, the 
Rock. — Apostolic Church. — Mathias not Apostle, not the Spirits work. — Miraculous Gifts to each. — All 
things common. — No Popes one Family. — Organized to Save Man. — Plenteous Harvest but few Laborers. 
—No Faith as Mustard Seed. — The Oneida Community, want of Resemblance.— 1st, Secular Chiist. not in 
Communionism ; 2d, Sectarianism.want of Missionary Spirit of Christ; 3d. want of Vocal efforts. — Commend- 
able Traits, but need Help. — Workings of Unbelief. — Woman in God's way. her Death. — Bound on Earth 
and in Heaven. — Death Class-leader, Albion. — Doomed Cayuga County.— Rebuked, Convicted and Sanctifi- 
ed.— Getting Start.— Devils Sm-prised. — Tests of Purity, Muddy Shoes. — Tender Pity to Sinners.— Love not 
Provoked it don't Revile. — Love distressing: to Unsaved and Devils. — Satan's Deep Plot. — Key Discovered. — 
Spoiled by vain Philosophy. — Principles Confounded. — Five Axioms. — Immutable Principles. — Marriage, its 
Essential Bond of Union Love. — Co-partnership instead of Love. — Selfishness and Jealousies cause of Di- 
vorcements. — Illustration m the History of a Class-leader.ASkill of Experienced Devils. — Sectarian and 
Selfish \'iews of Heaven. — Heaven and Earth the same Family. 

CHAPTER XIL 

Narrative. — Preaching at Alpine six weeks. — A Solemn Warning from God to them. — Entreated to Preach 
again. — Collection, Rags comparatively. — Travail, thi-own from the Pulpit. — The Devil Resisted. God came. 
— L'^zzah Smitten. — The Plasiie stayed. — Backslider's Confession.— Board at Tavern. — Tyranny of Swearing. 
— Interested Multitude. — School house closed. — Not permitted to number. — Twin Daughters. — Swearing 
Cripple Converted. — Evidence of Change. — Intimation of Departure told of. — Great Excitement, Mob Col- 
lected. — Boldness, Defiance of the De\'il. — Naked body presented for anything. — Mockers Warned. — Notice 
to Preach in streets by order of Jesus Christ. — Wearing Irons. — Havanah Jail. — Fi-audulent Precept, Ven- 
geance Sworn. — Notable Prisoner. — The Devil Roared Quiet. — Three noble men Outlaw all the Laws. — 
Taken out of Jail, Preached at Alpine. — The Secret found. — Hunted out Sympathy in God's way. — No 
Counsel but Jesus Christ. — Sudden Departure. — Night and day's travel after the Devil."— Preached at Owego 
Poorhouse. — Hastened to Sick. — Coat given afterwards Grudged. — Could not wear it, given again — 
Poison Pedlar Preacher. — Vision when slain, Prophecy fulfilled. — Hall Desecrated — A Sinner choked down. 
— Special Revelation. — ^Prophecy fulfilled. — Donation, Handbill and Oyster Feast. — The Power present to 
Heal. — Singular Exercise and Travail at Alpine. — A Preacher Slain three hours, his Wife Healed, Devils 
Disturbed. — Mocking theDe\i.l's Clowns, Meeting-house and Play-house together. — Craft, with Guile Healed. 
— Fear of Fanaticism-cancer. — At Binghampton. 

CHAPTER XIIL 

Narrative. — Allegany County. — An-ested as a Vagrant. — Angelica Jail. — Copy of the Document. — Could not 
feel like a Prisoner. — Family Pi-ayer. — Slain in the Prison. — Grabbed the Fighting Devil. — Burned their 
Cards. — Invited to walk with Sheriff". — At Large.— Unlocked Doors. — A Remarkable Dream.— Mr. Kendal. 
— Slanderous Article. — Reply and Vindication. — Miraculous Healing. — Doctor ran away. — Abortion. — Cas- 
per Hawser. — Paschal Suppers. — Threatened with Death. — Filegal Imprisonment. — Petition to the Jndge. — 
Cause of Failure.— Severe Trial of Faith. — Proposition of Release by the Court. — The Reply and Reasons. 
— Mortification of Sheriff.— Letter of my Justification for going out. — Travailing in Bii-th. — Dream from the 
Lord. — Its Application. — Love to Sheriff' as Brother butreftised a Kiss. — Last Letter to Sheriff'.— The Lord's 
only conditions to Sheriff'. — Friendly Counsel, and Deep Emotions, with Tears. — Respect and Gratitude. 

CHAPTER XIY. 

Miscellaneous. — Counterfeits on God's Bank. — Mormanism born, the Church mocks; another Bastard born' 
viz , Spiritualism. — Doubt abont the Holy Ghost. — His work Supplanted, Cotmterfeited.— The Designs of 
Satan. — Unbeliei, the Devil's Work and Cause of Failure. — Controled by the Spirit in 1832, as he gave~utter- 
ance. — Sister Young's Trance and Vision. — Restored, again Sanctified Brother Hyde. — Tricked out of it by 
Science. — Mocking the Devil. — Dollar instead of Cent. — Nazarite Sister, two dresses, and the reasons. — 
Mocking. Filthy, and Swearing Devils, — Sticcess in Healing Sick, Wayne County. — Wife Rebuked and 

Healed — Inflammatory Rheumatism. — Sister S in my arms. — Present Faith guided by the Spirit. — You 

are blest. — A woman's hand. — Salt Rheum Grabbed and Healed. — Restored to Reason, deranged a year and 
a half — Devils Confounded, the Medium fell. -^Success avertumed. Death xame in two hours. — Young 
Woman in Cayuga County Healed. — New Lesson learned took oiu- Sickness.— Bible Sorcery, (Jounterfeits 
exposed by Sermon. — Modes of Mimicry. — Parallel Moses and Pharaoh and the dift'erence. — Song, " 'Tis 
the very same Jesus." 

CHAPTER XV. 

Confession, Short Comings.— Sister W , Cattaraugtis County.— Reckless Sectarian, wife died.— Did'nt see 

the Remedy. — Bereaved in the Christ. — Joseph C . a doctor, instead of Jesus, he died. — Delicate Case. — 

Sister M . Lockport. new Lessons, did'nt toll it all. — Sister lost the Gift. Lockport. — The dead not raised, 

Fear and want of Decision.— Short of the Mark.— Lincoln, the War. — A Prophet of the Nation. — Fear to 
Roar. — Albion and Buffalo. — A Straitened place and Victory. — A Soldier sold Jesus, cost him both eyes. 
— Smitten fromNeglect.—Rushford.— Special Leadings, Healins, Love, and Power. — Confessed before Death. 
— Uzzah Smitten.— Niagara County. — Lucy Baker. — Life Forfeited. — Broome County. 

CHAPTER XYL 

A Child's Vision of Heaven. — Its Variety and its Glories Remarkable.— My own Mysterious Leadings and 
Vision at the Bergen Camp Meeting — Samuel and Agag. — Hewing the Kings in Zion. — A look into Eternity. 
— Slajn in the Stand. — Endorsed by a woman of God. — The Martyr Power and Spirit on her body —Noto- 
rious not from Choice.— Slow for the Devil at a Tent Meeting. — The Princesses of this world lenoraut of 
Christ and His. — Attempt to Smugale a man into God.— Laying on Hands, the Power of God, Three Fell, 
the Spell Broken.— Hands on Brother Stiles, at Allegany Camp Meeting.— Conscience.— The MartjTS.— 
William Penn, the Quakers.— Charles Wesley.— Not Stubborn but Conscientious. — Army of Devils, a Vis- 
ion and Revelation. — A Mystery.— Qrove Meeting in Wales, Preacher thrown off Platform. — Martyr Spirit 
on the body, Mystery Explained.- Casting out Devils at Bergen, Cazenovia, &c. 



VI CONTENTS AND INDEX. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Morality. — Short Breath Sympathy. — Warriors. — Extortioners and Persecutors called Moral. — New Modes o 
the Spirit strike the Inexperienced. — Jesus changes Customs and Modes of Serving God — The will of God 
the only Immutable Standard of Morality. — Had to cut his Beard. — Forbidden to cut off his Hair. — Forbid- 
den to Shave. — The will of God now to some differs with former Dispensations. — Common Sense Presiding 
Elder. — Want of Decision now to be Free. — Matchless Sanative. — No Quack in Religion. — Jesus' Blood the 
only Cure. — God must have your Case and the Stubborn Vow. — A Cure Warranted. — Wrestling Jacob. — 
Dark before Day with Abraham and others. — Two Secrets found. — Forced to Scream.— God's Light Distres- 
sing. — Mistaken Concliisioa, — Moses' Vail. — Stephen's Face Shining. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In giving these thoughts to the reader, I 
remark : 

1st. It was not sought or chosen nor even 
thought of as making a book, but I was brought 
in sight of it in a manner providentially by 
reading a published article, which I saw to be 
injurious to the truth and to the Church of God. 
Hence God called me to write the author a 
friendly and faithful letter, calculated to clear 
up the mi&t, and thus do away its mischievous 
tendencies, requesting its publication. But 
having little hope in that direction, and before 
mailing the letter, I saw an amount of truth 
which should be published that could not be 
embraced in a single letter. I then began to 
see as I wrote a simple tract before me; but 
here it is — a Book, a good many times the size 
anticipated. 

2d. It has been half a year in writing, it is 
now two years and more ; hence it is not the 
production of hasty impulse, but thoughtfully, 
carefully and prayerfully written and prepared. 
Some parts of it have been written and examined 
in fhe forest or "wilderness" where Jesus spent 
much of his time — his short stay on the earth, 
where the air is pure, and where the influence 
of unbelief and prejudice is not so directly felt. 
And then, too, like the Apostle Paul, ' ' I had 
no certain dwelling place," or like Jesus, ''had 
not where to lay my head." 

3d. I have written what I believe and what 
God calls me to preach and defend. And with 
all my caution to avoid prominence, I am called 
to stand in the forefront of the hottest battle in 
this aggressive war and fight of faith against 
unbelieving religious devils of this generation. 



4:th. I have written some thoughts which will 
be ''neio" to the reader, which are not found 
in books. Don' t reject them because they are 
new, but examine them ; you may see the truth 
and bearing, and profit by them. Some "new" 
ideas and thoughts have been found of great 
advantage to men, though repulsed at first. 

5th. I have written some things for which I 
shall be dispised and persecuted, because I have 
written against the devil, and the inexperience 
and unbelief which gives him such advantage 
in this war. Satan don't want this secret 
region lighted up, exposed and taken from him. 

6th. I have written some things, which I 
have tried to avoid, and I would have softened, 
lest it should strike too heavy on the acute sense, 
and also upon the senseless and false modesty 
of this ^^ adulterous generation." But, on 
examining each sentence, each word, I could 
not alter it and please God. Yet I have used 
none other than chaste language, and a refer- 
ence to Scripture history and intent. 

7th. I have been pressed by the Spirit for 
many years, at times, to do what I could to 
perfect ' ' that which is lacking " in the faith of 
the church, — so called. To bring her up or 
back to the Spirit of Penticost, to that faith so 
much needed, which others also preach and 
argue the necessity of, and complain of its 
absence in the church as the cause of " lean- 
ness ' ' and want of efficiency and power, viz : 
' ' The faith which was once delivered to the 
saints," which casts out devils, which believes 
and obeys God, and sees men, and devils too, 
just the same as ever, except more skilled on the 
side of evil, because of more experience by 



INTRODUCTION. 



VIH 



eighteen centuries of conflict against the Holy 
Ghost and the church. 

8th. I have written the " words of truth and 
soberness," and yet I may be called by some, 
to use their phrase, a " monomaniac, " i. e. 
sane on all subjects except religion. / am 
that just in the same sense as Paul the Apostle 
was, as expressed in these words, viz : '' I 
determined to know nothing among you save 
Jesus Christ, and him crucified." ''A fool for 
Christ's sake, that ye may be wise in Christ. 

9th. The writing of some of my miraculous, 
wonderful experience in my religious history, 
was not contemplated in this work till of late. 
I have been directed to loriie it, while with 
some other parts the general end or design was 
contemplated soon after the commencement. 
Give the whole a candid and patient investiga- 
tion. . God bless you with the knowledge 
of Christ Jesus as your Saviour, that the 
reader and the writer may be " found in him " | 
without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish, on the 
general and final "judgment of the great day. " 

A. REDDY. 

Yates Countt, Highway, near Penn Yan, 
June ISth, 1867. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT INTRODUCTION. 



1 have been led by the Lord to speak against 
public collections, — subcriptions and donations 
for '•'■ hirelings,''' — and have invariably dis- 
couraged and refused them for the last seven 
years, except individual presents. "Let not 
thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, 
that thine alms may be in secret, that thy 
Father who seeth in secret himself may reward 
thee openly. ' ' I opposed also the Daguerreotype 
idolatry of the dead and of the living in pic- 
tures, because I saw that most of this is run 
mio fashion for and by the devil. I never had 
mine taken, though many times proposed. I 
have been held under a close check-rein by the 
Lord, 'subject to be turned around, or to the 
right or left, at His will and not my own, — not 
allowed to follow even/orms where he has led 
me before, but as under his special guidance, 
inspiration and direction, subjecting and keep- 
ing my will subdued to Eis will in all things. 



But I have seen of late that these vieios, given 
me from the Lord too, had become stereotype 
somewhat in mind, a habit and a cross for me 
to deviate from them. But God broke me 
across the first of these, viz: public collections 
after preaching in the streets of Penn Yan, last 
May, 1867, when one of the preachers present 
proposed a collection to make me a present 
while God's power was on me. He kept me 
laughing so that I coidd not stop it. They 
handed me over ten dollars. I then said "this 
is the first I ever consented to, but this is of 
God." One instance since, while on my knees, 
at Alpine, Schuyler County, the Lord told me 
to consent, and tell them I would preach again, 
and they might do as they chose about money, 
they would not do wrong; so I had to pull up 
all these stakes. 

I am shown this morning that these thoughts, 
now matured in my mind, are from the Lord, 
in reference to my portrait or engraving, to 
preface this work or book on ^^Nazarite Theo- 
logy,'" which God has so mysteriously led me to 
write. These deep and wonderful truths 
which He has revealed and led me to compile 
in this book, in this age, and adapted to this 
generation, and to these times. 

A. REDDY. 

January 9tli, 1869. 

NOTICE TO THE READER. 



This work was thought to be nearly ready for 
the printer about a year ago, as the introduction 
would seem to show in the dates. But God's 
ways are not as our ways; He had much valu- 
able truth, and many interesting incidents of 
healing and of tr&,vail, which He, no doubt, 
designed from the beginning of the writing of 
it, to have published to the world. Some of 
which, it would seem, could only be brough^t out 
by the writer being held ^^ though not all the time 
confined) as a prisoner, caged, so he could be 
kept still. 

Order in time has not been observed in all 
cases because of no diary, but written almost 
entirely from memory, inspired and quickened 
by the Spirit of the Lord. Many have been 
waiting and wanting it for some time. But it 
is out at last. God bless you with the same 
Comforter who inspired its lines and thoughts. 
Amen. 

The Publishers. 
HoBNELLSYiLLE, January 1st, 1869. 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 



Narrative. 

I WAS born in Cayuga county, State of New 
York, on the 17th of February, 1809. I was 
born again — converted to God — on the 28th day 
of March, 1831 ; I was sanctified by the Holy 
Ghost, perfected in love, on the same night on 
my bed, at home, about three hours after my 
conversion, in Orleans county, Western New 
York, at Millville, or what was then called Ma- 
ple Ridge School-house. I had then a wife and 
one child. 

Three nights previous to the one on vfhich I 
was converted, I went to a prayer meeting 
where there were about twenty persons. The 
Lord told me to rise up and tell them I wanted 
religion, and I wanted them to pray for me. I 
consented in mind to do so before the meeting 
closed, but I soon began to weep and tremble. 
It seemed to shake all that part of the house. 
Soon the suggestion was made to my mind that 
it was the ague — that it was not conviction. 
But when I arose the trembling all left me, and 
they did pray for me heartily. This was on 
Friday night. The next Monday night a cir- 
cumstance transpired which I could not for the 
moment account for. A t the time of the closing 
prayer of the meeting, while sitting in the cor- 
ner of the school-house, my eyes being closed, 
my handkerchief in my hand and over my face, 
with things looking a little uncertain whether I 
would find the Saviour that night. Immmedi- 
ately I saw him standing outside near the cor- 
. ner of the school-house, and myself laying at his 
feet, on my face, looking up and thinking I must 
believe in him to be saved. Just then a blazing 
candle' seemed before me, entirely controlling 
my attention, dazzling so bright I could not see 
any thing else. I reasoned^ I am sure I don't 
see that candle, my eyes are closed and ray 
hand over them. But the meeting about clos- 
ing, I dismissed the strange phenomenon for 
the present, and fixing my attention again on 
the Saviour and myself at his feet as before. 
But just as I was thinking I must believe He 
will save me now, the candle was dazzling be- 
fore my eyes brighter than before. Now it was 
suggested ' ' ThaV s the power of the Devil. " I 
resisted it as from the devil, with all my might. 
Instantly, just as I heard the amen to the pray- 
er closing the meeting, I ventured on Jesus, 
believing He will save me now. And He did, 
for I felt soinething vntjiin m4 I never had felt 



before. The change was so great that the first 
one I saw was a man I had laid up something 
against. I never saw any body look so good as 
he did. I put out my hand and he said, " here 
is a happy soul." I suppose he saw the change 
in my countenance. Immediately I had a thrust 
from the devil — That I had deceived myself, 
and was now attempting to deceive others. I 
dropped my head and looked carefully to see if 
I could discover any thing wrong, or any mis- 
take; but I could see nojlaio. I then intended 
to pray for an evidence when I reached home. 
I soon found myself very happy — wanted to 
laugh at everything that was said. 

O how hnppy are they 

Who then" Saviour obey, * 

And have laid up their treasure above; 

Tongue can never express 

The sweet comfort and peace 
Of a soul in its earliest love. 

The first recollection after leaving the door of 
the school-house, I was standing in my own 
house (half a mile distant) reading the Bible; 
a light shining on the book, and on me, and 
above me, so that I could not endure it. Clos- 
ing my eyes and struggling with my emotions, 
the light became so clear at last that I could 
not look on the book. A strange happiness 
which seemed almost like distress. I closed my 
eyes to get strength to know more of God and 
his word, but I would be filled with such awe, 
reverence and bliss, that I could not read or look 
at the book, but I thirsted for the knowledge 
of God, I gave it over, thinking I shall be able 
sometime, and went to bed. My wife and child 
lay asleep by my side. I lay thinking about 
Jesus, how he looked when I found him first. 
Presently he was there in my room, and myself 
lay prostrate at his feet. I tried for an hour to 
look in his face but could not. There seemed a 
glory so bright that was hidden, that appeared 
too much for me to endure as I was so unlike 
him. I then thought I shall be good enough 
sometime to " see him as he is," and to endure 
the light of his face. 

I then thought I would compose myself to 
sleep, but so strong was my desire to be ac- 
quainted with him now, I was hardly willing 
to sleep. I then thought of his blood, that it 
loas spilt for me, and I could look at that. My 
attention was instantly fixed on the stream of 
blood flowing from and down his side — his na- 
ked body — I felt such a craving — such a loill to 
drink it now. I saw my lips touch his side. 
turning the crimson stream into my mouth, and 

(2) 



10 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



I was conscious of drinking it in my heart. It 
sent a prickling sensation through my entire 
"being, body and soul, I saw him coming into me, 
his fkce dazzling with sj)lendor, the glory spark- 
ling about his head and face, and around him. 
I at once lost all consciousness, but I found 
when I came back I had been clapping my 
hands and shouting glory to God. I then 
waked my wife by ^^ kissing ^^ her. I was so 
happy I felt like letting no one be easy until 
they were made as happy as I, and felt so 
pressed to give some appropriate expression of 
love which I felt had now control of me, that I 
could not keep still. My wife began to weep, 
and asking me, saying: "Why don't you talk 
to me about religion?" I began to tell her how 
I found Jesus at the first. Then I would see 
him present right in my room — would see his 
blood running a stream down his right side, and 
again lose all consciousness until I would hear 
her say, "Alanson, are you going to die?" 
while she would be weeping aloud. I noticed 
I had not been breathing for some time, but 
was so happy that I had no concern whether 
ever I breathed any more. But her entreaties 
to talk to her "about religion" would start 
me again to tell her how I had found Jesus, 
but I would proceed only a little when I would 
see his blood again, and the "Refining fire" 
would " go through my heart," through body 
and'soitZ. So I passed off several times in about 
the same manner. Once, when I returned to 
consciousness, I saw a little child, a boy appa- 
rently about two years old or under, entirely 
naked, sitting on the floor under the bleeding 
side of Jesus; his hair of a brown color, and 
shingled very close, and cut very even, and 
trimmed nice ; his flesh was white and seemed 
as pure as snow. I was deeply impressed with 
the purity ; while three angels stood in a roio 
before Jesus and the child. Then immediately 
I zoas that child and looked at the angels from 
that position, and saw that the angels were 
glad that 1 was converted, — joy among them 
over one sinner that repenteth. And my pu- 
rity, being washed in the blood of the Lamb, 
was thus shown me. I suppose the angels were 
thus presented as my Guardian Angels. My 
body also was shown me as all in small parts, 
about the size of a rice corn, white as snow, 
and each happy as could be, independent of the 
rest, making me restless for an hour — so happy 
I could not sleep. After an hour or so I fell 
asleep after tossing about with such new and 
strange happiness. I could not sleep until it 
cured me all through. 

" O tlie rapturous height 

Of that holy delight 
WMch I felt in the life-gi'ving bloocl. 

Of my Saviour possess'd, 

I was perfectly blest, 
As if fill'd with the fullness of God." 

The next morning I read a chapter in the Bible 
and prayed in my family, and have continued 
to do so ever since when at home, and in other 
families when abroad. My wife found the 
Lord the same week. After iSearing and read- 
ing on the doctrine of Christian Perfection, I 
am clearly satisfied that I received the blessing 
of purity or sanctification in about three hours 



after my conversion to God. My only concern 
was to know and to do the will of God, to be 
led by His Spirit, who I found moving me to 
converse with all I could find access to about, 
salvation and the way to heaven. Thus I found 
myself preaching the gospel to every creature' 
before I had any knowledge or thought of being 
called to preach. But losing my victory over 
the world and the devil, and had become con- 
fused, A year from the next fall I went to 
a camp-meeting and the Lord restored me. 
Then I saw I must preach. But opposition 
from friends (mostly) as well a^ foes, made it 
seem like hard work. My family to support by 
mechanical labor, and but little or no encour- 
agement from the church. Having joined the 
M. E. Church about eight weeks after my con- 
version to God, a private agreement was made 
between the leader and myself, that instead of 
him I should conduct the meeting on the next 
Sunday. So I took a text and preached the 
first time. I guess, a good long sermon, from 
John iii. 36. I held an exhorter's license for 
seven years, and in 1836 I was licensed to 
preach as a local preacher, holding meetings on 
the Sabbath, traveling on foot, sometimes four- 
teen miles, and preaching twice, returning 
home happy in the Lord, prafting God for the 
Sabbath of rest. Then at my trade — carpenter 
and joiner— another week to support my family 
through the summer, spending much time in 
the winter in protracted meetings, helping the 
preachers, and many times filling their ap- 
pointments on the circuit. I was once recom- 
mended to the Genesee Conference as a travel- 
ing preacher, by the joint Quarterly Conference 
of Old Ridgeway circuit and Albion Station, 
composed of about forty members. All but one 
voted for my recommendation. But my family 
being large, and so many single men to join 
that year, the preachers and Presiding Elder 
concluded, while at conference, to withhold my 
name that year, and give me work under the 
Presiding Elder on the Niagara District, and 
take my name up the next year. There was 
something mysterious to me for years about my 
being a traveling preacher only a few months, 
and such a unanimous and spirited recommen- 
dation, they and myself too, being so blest of 
God, I could not account for it until since I 
was called to leave all, seven years ago last 
June, in 1860, and go only where and when the 
Lord should specially direct me the rest of my 
life. That mystery has been explained, viz: 
That my priesthood was not after the order of 
"Aaron," but after the order of "Melchisedec," 
an isolated priesthood. And I can see now 
that God has been trying to let me see this for 
thirty years past, and I have lost perfect love, 
my freedom and victory several times for want 
of that independence which I find so essential 
to be a successM servant of Jesus Christ, espe- 
cially in this generation. 

On the last night of the Bergen Camp-meet- 
ing, Western New York, in 1860, I was called 
to make some confessions which greatly hum- 
bled me; and also to make the following pledge 
or vow to God, He requiring me to promise 
Him " That I would never take my tools again 



CALLED TO LEAVE ALL. 



11 



to procure a living for myself or family, if they 
went to the poor-house and I died a martyr; 
and be at his disposal and direction the of rest 
ray life. ' ' I had been called the year before, 
having a reformation in our place, viz: Water- 
port, Orleans county, where about forty were 
converted. Our hired girl and two of our sons 
were among the converts. But I kept delay- 
ing — did not know where to begin such an un- 
trodden path. Soon my horse ran away with 
me, or from me, taking the buggy from under 
me leaving me on my back in the road. The 
next spring, while on my knees in my shop 
chamber, the Lord showed me that he would 
lay me in the grave before fall if I did not go 
out as Abraham did, '■'■not knowing whither he 
went.-'' That I must go and encourage the 
desponding and succor the tempted of his flock. 
I saw myself going from the judgment seat 
down towards hell vrith a multitude hanging 
to my skirts. The scene was so fearful in its 
aspect that suddenly I yelled at the top of my 
voice, ^'F II he right with God!" I went into the 
house and told my wife. She said "G'o, for I 
know it's your duty, and I'll try to take care of 
the children. ' ' I was four or five hours on my 
knees at this camp-meeting before my unbelief 
was worn away. A young sister lay prostrate, 
and in deep travail, being burdened for me, giv- 
ing such screams at intervals, which pierced me 
through. I at last saw, without a single doubt, 
that it was the God that made me who was now 
talking to me, showing me His loill, and also 
what opposition I would meet, which I have pro- 
ved to be tnie. After the contract was entered 
into, I saw that I must have power from God, 
and of God, to keep the contract inviolate. I 
began to pray, and I could not get much fur- 
ther than " tfesus ! Jesus / " I began to 
weep. In the light and sight of God and of 
his holy law, showing the offensive nature of 
unbelief on my right hand, while Jesus would 
appear on my left hand on the cross, and some- 
times see him in the garden in his bloody 
sweat, I began to fall, and as soon as I found 
myself down I would rise on my knees and try 
to pray, and could get but little more than "0 
Jesus," or ^'■Eternal death" which I saw Jesus 
suflered for me. My breath seemed to be de- 
manded — that I must give up my breath. I 
roared and cried, and fell perhaps twenty 
times. At last it seemed that if I yelled again I 
would break or burst a blood vessel, and die — 
burst open. But I had become reckless in view 
of the awfulness of things around me, and of 
the holiness of God and what he now claimed, 
viz: my breath, I didn't care if I did die. I 
broke over all restraint of fear. I consented to 
let my voice go out to the utmost— roared with 
all my might, I felt better, found relief, was 
strong, could not burst. I heard the sound of 
many voices, perhaps a dozen, weeping like 
children around me, being struck under convic- 
tion. I got up once more but my strength was 
gone 5 I fell again and could not rise ; then I 
surrendered my breath without /ear or thought 
of future heaven, hell or life. It seemed but a 
minute of unconsciousness, but others have 
told me that it was near an hour — that my 



chest fell when the breath left my lungs — that 
the blood settled under my nails — the paleness 
of death was on my lips, &c. I don't know 
but I was a dead man that hour. 1 knew noth- 
ing — had no thought, until I felt something in 
my heart which seemed very sweet coming up 
my throat, growing sweeter and sweeter. I 
knew not what was coming out until I heard 
these words: '■'Thy ivill he done," the sweetest 
words I ever tasted. I then had a little agen- 
cy in repeating them as they came out of my 
mouth, and every time they were spoken they 
gave satisfaction, they seemed so sweet, ^'■Thy 
loill he done. ' ' I was prostrate on my back, 
not able to move hand or foot, but conscious of 
God' s presence and purity, and of being sepa- 
rated unto God. It seemed that I had been 
dead j that God had brought me to life again., 
to live to him alone. While reasoning thus, 
my thoughts were turned to my heart with these 
words, viz: .^'■You are not quite dead, you'' II he 
liable to shrink." Again Ifelt two very strong 
hands grip my thighs ; one held up each leg 
above my knees, pulling and gripping as if the 
muscles w^ould be torn from my leg, until I 
wondered ^'■What does this mean?" The an- 
swer came, viz: '■^ There is a spot; you'' re not 
quite deadf '^You'll he liable to halt." These 
words were in my mind considerable of the 
time afterwards : '' He is risen from the dead, 
therefore mighty works do show forth them- 
selves in him. ' ' Being invited to stay to a 
prayer meeting in the neighborhood of the 
camp-ground, I was requested to take charge 
of the meeting. One man fell by the power of 
God. I was conscious that I was called to a 
great work, the extent of which I did not fully 
know. But it seemed so great at times — so 
loonderful that I should be chosen to it, I d»re 
not even intimate to any one my thoughts, not 
even to my wife when I reached home. One 
sister, a preacher' s wife, said twice, once before 
her husband : "I have been looking for and ex- 
pecting that the Lord was about to raise up a 
leader to his church — have thought perhaps it 
was brother Reddy." But I made no reply. I 
had at least two reasons. The first was, it was 
delicate for me to say what I saw. I knew the 
Lord had revealed it to her. I think noio I 
should have told her. The second reason or 
objection was the jealousy it would have awa- 
kened even among the best of the ministers, and 
in many of the pilgrims. I have since had the 
church shown me, in a dream and vision of the 
night, while in Lockport. ^ 

The next winter I found the Lord leading my 
hands on several persons, praying for the Holy 
Ghost and his gift to come on them, The first 
was an exhorter; we were both standing up, 
but we both fell instantly while I was saying 
"Let the Holy Ghost come on us both. " I had 
said, let the Holy Ghost come on him, twice, 
trembling under a deep sense of the immediate 
presence of God. While I lay I saw what I had 
to do. I was threatened by the Devil with 
dreadful persecution, consequently I was very 
cautious, seldom saying any thing to any one 

* See Chapter XI. 



12 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



before or after laying on hands, but hoped they 
would keep it. ''Tell no man.'' But the Lord 
intended to conquer this foe. He sent me to 
Wayne county a year afterwards. Having been 
much oppressed with this temptation to fear, 
He told me before I left Lockport, that I must 
go into the stand at that camp-meeting, and 
state the following, viz: ''God has bestowed on 
me the gift of faith and power to cast out devils,- 
t,he gift to lay on hands for healing the sick and 
imparting the Holy Ghost and his gifts to oth- 
ers; the gift of faith and discerning of spirits: 
and he has sent me here to say this, and to bid 
defiance to the Devil, to persecution, to mobs 
or martyrdom; I am ready.'' Some fell in the 
altar by the power of God manifested, and soon 
I was slain in the stand. The next day I was 
set laughing while in the altar until my clothes 
were wet with sweat. I had fallen; others soon 
began to fall around me. The Ruler of the 
meeting fell, and his wife and others fell by the 
power of God. One old man went from that 
camp-meeting, had caught the hallowed and 
hallowing contagion, his wife complaining to 
one of the neighbors, a sanctified Christian, that 
her old man got that awful influence on him at 
the camp-meeting; that it would prickle and 
henuml his flesh, that he had to get out of bed 
to rub it off. The fdend said that's the sancti- 
fying power of the Holy Ghost; I wish I had 
more of it myself. A few sick persons were 
healed before I left that county, and a few were 
healed in Cayuga county before I returned to 
Lockport, where I was then preaching. I had 
been sent to Lockport the winter before, where 
the society was torn into fragments and scat- 
tered by discord, only four or five persons meet- 
ing in a private house for religious exercises. 
The stone walls of their meeting house were up 
roof on, windows in, a part of the floor laid' 
they had been trying to sell it. In a few days 
after I went there, the private houses could not 
hold the people. The Lord sent me to be^^ mo- 
ney to finish laying the floor, get the doo°s in, 
then dedicate the rude walls unplastered, and 
have a place for the people. On the 24th of Jan- 
uary, 1861, I preached the Dedication Sermon 
on the Sabbath. In a few weeks, and durino- 
the spring, many Sunday nights the house 
would not hold the people; four hundred or 
more would crowd in, stand up, and hundreds 
I heard, would stand outside or leave, that 
could uot get inside. Some fourteen or fifteen 
were sanctified, some had lost it and were res- 
tored; some nineteen were converted and re- 
claimed. We seldom had a meeting but one or 
more (sometimes half-a-dozen) would be slain 
by the power of God, and sometimes keep us 
till twelve o'clock. I have counted six at one 
time prostrate on the carpet under the power- 
sometimes on rising to sing, to close meeting' 
some one or two would fall. One case, a man 
was cured, soul and body; he lay about half an 
hour. He said the next Sunday in class-meet- 
ing, " God sanctified me and cured my body of 
rheumatism here last Sunday nisht, and I nev- 
er thought of my shoulder, although not a day 
passed without pain for almost a year till Fri- 
day afternoon." One young woman fell while 



in prayer, opening the meeting one Sunday 
morning, and lay about seven hours, till just 
before night, when she arose. The report went 
through town that a woman was dead at the 
Nazarite meeting-house, which caused a con- 
stant travel back and forth to the place. The 
house was filled to overflowing that night. I 
preached and she exhorted after me. Almost 
the whole town was moved; children, boatmen 
and whisky drinkers and dealers, who would -go 
nowhere else to meeting; children in the meet- 
ings and in the streets, were filled with the 
Nazarite songs. The young folks woxiUfind us 
almost every night if it was not till nine o'clock 
when we tried to have some meetings by our- 
selves. Some I found weeks afterwards, who 
were converted in the congregation, who had 
never let it be known. Such was the interest 
felt, and such the demonstrations of power at 
every meeting, that it was called " The Green 
Street Theatre," being situated on Green street. 
Such exhibitions and manifestations of the Holy 
Spirit's work among these pilgrims. Some of 
them, I believe, were among the most holy and 
pure that have walked the earth in the last fif- 
teen centuries. * One person came who had not 
been m meeting in fourteen years. She became 
sober for a time; I think she was converted, 
forgiven of God. If she had been away from 
temptation and bad associations, she would 
have served God and remained happy. One 
boatman was converted in the winter— a poor * 
man; I was interested for him and his family; 
he lived in lower town. I had a dream one 
night about his little child^ which so impressed 
me that I had to go down to lower town to see 
what it meant. I found that he had just enlist- 
ed as a soldier. I saw what the dream meant, 
told them of it; warned him not to go, as some 
calamity awaited him or his family, but he 
went; and after five weeks he came home on a 
furlough ; and instead of going to the regiment 
at Le Roy, he went to Canada. In the spring 
I was arrested, held to bail, and finally indicted 
before the grand jury of the United States Court, 
held at Rochester — the woman being secured as 
a '' detained loUness," the family drawing from 
the government about one hundred dollars as 
their fee; while the officers, as I heard, drew 
five or six hundred more — charged with entic- 
ing a soldier to desert the service of the United 
States. But the Lord delivered me, ''set me at 
liberty," in answer to prayer. 

I went to the court at Rochester, without 
money, fiiends to aid, lawyer or witnesses. But 
God sent a lawyer to ofier his services loithout 
pay, saying <' I don't believe you ought to be 
convicted." The Lord having held me to an- 
swer the Judge when he should ask, "Have 
you counsel?" to say, "Jesus Christ is all the 
counsellor I have. " Every preparation seemed 
to be mede by the officers to have me convicted 
when tried. My only witness had gone to Eng- 
land; but two sisters in the Lord at Lockport, 

* Yet I saw of latelj^ from the pen of a. preacher iu 
be-rgmg for help for a meeting house there, make his 
appeal to the sympathies of the people abroad on 
this gi-ound, viz : "It is well known that here is 
where Fanaticism culminated and went to seed.^^ 



FOUR SANCTIFIED. 



1 ^ 
1 u 



agreed with each other on Saturday, to fast and 
pray on Monday for my case, that God would 
save me from prison. I of course knew nothing 
of this at Rochester. But while walking alone 
in the court-house, the Lord spoke these words 
within mc, viz: '■''Know ye that our hrother 
Timothy is set at liberty.'' They remained, I 
reasoned a little; ''Timothy" was young, but 
I'm an old man. Still they were in me. I re- 
peated them aloud., spoke them myself, and 
God blessed me. From that time the Devil 
could get no prison walls before me. That day 
(viz: Monday) I had to go and tell my lawyer 
of it, who was complaining of unfairness in put- 
ting my case off, as he wanted to go west. I 
said, V — s, I have a security about this matter. 
The Lord has told me that I'm going to be set 
at liberty. He laughed. Four days after this 
he came to me in the court room and said: 
"Our brother Timothy is set at liberty.'" I 
said, ^^ Glory to God.'^ The judge gave this 
lawyer one case and fee from the court by thus 
helping me, and I have understood that he was 
brought into notice, and into a very lucrative 
office, and business from the government since. 
Success to such a noble man. I heard that 
some said: "Well, if Father Reddy gets clear 
now I shall believe that the Lord leads him and 
takes care of him. ' ' The next fall I was made 
restless in the night — awakened. A brother 
Anthony, whom I had seen once only at a camp- 
meeting near Auburn, was presented with an 
expression of sadness and dejection on his 
countenance. I was deeply impressed that some- 
thing ai?ed him. In a few days I found a desire 
in me to go to Cayuga county and see him, some 
forty or tifty miles from where I then was, in 
"Wayne county. I went, and after he and his 
wife and myself had returned from the prayer 
meeting at the village, while he was reading a 
chapter in the Bible, his voice began to distress 
me. I thought I must stop him and ask him a 
question; but I put it off twice. But the Lord 
pressed me so that I had to say, 1st: " Brother 
Anthony, have you not been tempted to despair 
of ever getting to heaven ?' ' But before he an- 
swered, I said: ''Have you not been tempted 
to put an end to your life?" x\fter a pause he 
answered "Zes, / have, for more than two 
years, and sometimes it has seemed to me I 
could hold out no longer. " He said the next 
day, ' ' I have spent two or three hours on my 
knees, some days in my closet, trying to get the 
victory." But God delivered him that night. 
He sent down his power on me while my hands 
were placed on his head crying to God "Against 
the Spirit unclean." I heard him and his wife 
weeping and praying, while I lay prostrate on 
the floor. His wife was sanctified a few days 
after, and one of his sons was saved, with five 
others, some after I left, in the meetings held in 
private houses ; for about two weeks I remained 
in the neighborhood. A boy six years old was 
healed of diptheria. He was thought to be dy- 
ing in the day-time. I was sent there from a 
meeting about two miles distant, where I was 
slain while in prayer in opening the meeting. 
I was told, while laying there, to go ^'before I 
slept f ' that it wont do to put it off till morn- 



ing. My consent was gained ; I went, but the 
boy could not be aroused to any consciousness 
by any body. I laid on my hands and began to 
sing; he soon became uneasy. I gained the 
witness from the Lord, arose and left the house 
without ceremony or words, even to the brother 
who went in with me, and to whose house I 
went to lodge. The next day that boy sat with 
his parents and others, myself also, at the din- 
ner table, and lives yet; Glory to God and the 
Lamb forever and ever. Amen. I saw him 
again; he loved me, and I loved him too, with 
a ' fondness. ' ' Soon I received a letter from 
my wife that one of my sons was very sick — 
that if I ever expected to see him alive I must 
come soon — that she couldn't pray for him. I 
was sure he would recover. In a few days I 
reached home. The next day he rode out, and 
in a few days recovered. But he afterwards 
became ashamed of the report, doubted the 
healing, I suppose. The next winter but one 
he was taken with Asthma. " Go in peace,'"" 
but " sin no more, lest a worse thing come up- 
on thee." About four months after this, while 
at Lockport, I was blest, sitting at the break- 
fast table — was set laughing and fell out of my 
chair, became unconscious of things around me. 
Soon I saw myself in the streets of Union 
Springs again, Cayuga county. A light was 
shining around me, with a very clear inti- 
mation that I must go there again soon. In 
two or three days I had direction. I took the 
next train. I found that the Devil and the 
Preacher had been making havoc of the good 
spirit of prosperity and happiness I had left 
them in. The preacher, as I learned, had got 
the meetings from the private houses, and rim 
them into the meeting house, and kept them 
going for six weeks, till every thing that was 
green was now withered and dry. Nothing to 
oil the dry machinery; the Holy Ghost was 
grieved. One member of the church, in a meet- 
ing we were holding in her school district, 
arose and said: " I have been to all the dona- 
tions I could hear of, and played "Snap and 
catch them," and if I should die as I am I 
should go to hell, for I have lost the blessing of 
holiness." But God restored — screamed her 
into the kingdom that night in her own house. 
Two Nazarite sisters, young women, came down 
to help me the next week after my arrival, whose 
home was at Lockport. The Lord specially 
directed them to go to Cayuga county. While 
one of them preached one Sunday on the sub- 
ject of Holiness, I. at the close, set out a seat, 
invited them, and four of them came and all got 
the blessing. One of them fell while one of 
those sisters had her hand on her shoulder, 
praying for her. The woman rose up to talk 
in the meeting, but she was so happy ^he 
could say but little, and laugh, saying " I bad 
no thought of getting such a blessing as this." 
then laughed again. The people would come 
out every night, fill the house, (although the 
roads w^ere muddy.) for nearly two weeks until 
after this Sunday's victory and triumph — en- 
dure the searching light, (I wonder they did so 
long, ) but in two days after this victory and 
display of power, the sexton had orders from a 



14 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



petty officer, an infidel trastee, to ^-turn those 
devils out of the school-house." But houses plen- 
ty were oifered ; some more were blest, some re- 
claimed. Most of the jjeople felt indignant on 
the house being closed. But the man who was 
saved the fall before from committing suicide, 
had gone back through unbelief , he had become 
ashamed of his confession; become afraid he 
would be turned out of the church if he should 
harbor and co-operate with and endorse me; 
and yet his wife had been sanctified, and one of 
his SODS converted the fall before, in the meet- 
ings held. And I am held now by the Lord to 
here record to that man' s shame, that in less 
than two years after this he turned me out of 
his tent at a camp-meeting in that county, 
saying: " If I should harbor you I should be 
blamed.''' But one of his neighbors close by, 
said, "Brother Reddy, come to my tent, you're 
welcome any time." " They gave me hatred 
for my love. ' ' 



CHAPTER II. 



NARRATIVE — LAYING ON HANDS — ANSWER TO 

PRAYER — PLENARY INSPIRATION 

AND DIRECTION. 



While laboring at Lockport the first winter 
and in the spring, I was laying on the lounge 
at a house where I was afterwards invited to 
call it home. While in meditation I saw M — 
the eldest of those sisters who labored with 
me in Cayuga county, and traveled some with 
me, kneeling down by the side of the lounge 
where I now was laying. In vision I saw my 
left hand just moving onto the top of her head, 
with these words spoken, viz : " Ordain those 
girls.' ^ I listened for more words to know what 
to call them, preacher, exborter, or prophetess. 
But no more came. I felt solemn. 1 knew it 
was God Avho had spoken. I sprang on my feet, 
told it at once to the family. Said to Sister 



E , stopping there, "Won't you go along?" 

We went directly to an older sister of theirs in 
town, found them both there, I told them all 
what I had come for; took the Bible, invited 
them all into the parlor. I read five verses where 
the Holy Ghost said "Separate me Barnebas 
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called 
them," invited the girls to kneel down in the 
middle of the room before me, I raised my 
hands, laid one on each of their heads, closed 
my eyes, and waited for some words to be given 
me to say, saying, *' God ! Jesus ! " We 
all three fell instantly by the power of God. 
One fell each way. I was turned forward on 
my back between them. The youngest lay 
near an hour. It was such hard work to give 
up her 'ioill to be led so narrow a path to 
public speaking. But M — , the oldest one, said, 
afterwards, that she was not taken by surprise, 
because the Lord showed her all this the week 
before, but said nothing to any one about it. 
But it was all new to me, and it took her sister 
and me both by surprise. 



WOLF — LAMBS — COLT TIED. 

Another instance. — While my wife and I 
were continuing a meeting in the village of 
Akron, Erie county, N. Y., which had been held 
in the grove the week before, waiting in expec- 
tation for my son to bring my horse and buggy 
from home — twenty miles distant — to take us 
to camp-meeting, some sixty miles south of Ak- 
ron. While I was praying in the family, I saw. 
in vision, away to the south, in a meadow, a 
wolf in hot pursuit of two lambs, — his head, 
feet and tail on full stretch, and within two 
feet of one of the lambs. The hind legs of the 
lambs just bending to give up and be devoured 
by the wolf I said to the sister of the house, 
I must go to that camp meeting, I see the wolf 
chasing some of the Lord's lambs; I must go 
there and break his infernal jaws. She burst 
into laughter. But the son not coming, after a 
day or two, and I saw he would not come, I 
stepped into the bedroom, dropped on my knees 
to tell Jesus about the whole matter, — to ask 
him to provide. But I had not spoken when 
the words were spoken to me, or in me, viz. : 
" Go into the village over against you,. and ye 
shall find a colt tied,'^ — a little pause then — 
^^And say the Lord hath need of him.''^ I burst 
into a hearty, happy laugh, as a child, sat down 
and laughed till it was out. I then said, " TFe^Z, 
Jesus, Til do it.''^ The boarding place being- 
over a swale, a little out of the village, made it 
parallel and expressive. I took my hat, said to 
Sister B— : — , as I came out of the bedroom, 
(early) "I'm going to see if I can't find a colt 
tied." She laughed as I left the door; I went 

to a stranger. Doctor P , talked religiously 

with his wife, who was a member of the church, 
until he came in; I found he had never been sat- 
isfied with an experience of salvation,— said what 
I could, prayed with the family, and then told 
my disappointment of my own conveyance; 
told him my wants, that I was called to leave 
all, sent out without money or scrip, that he 
need not expect any pay, I had none; but the 
Lord wanted us 1o go to that camp-meeting. I 
wanted a horse, <fec. , to go sixty miles south, to 
be gone a week, &c. That doctor did let me 
have one — "J. colt tied. "* It was the means of 
his salvation, he died- a happy man the next 
winter; as one of his sons related the happy 
death of his father, dwelling on "That's the 
man that should preach the gospel, ' ' often times 
in his sickness. 

We went to the camp-meeting, and the fore- 
part of the next week I found the wolf, and the 
two lambs of Jesus; and it cost me five hours 
close and hot fight with the devil — WiQ religious' 
devils — before the last one was delivered, but 
she came out shouting in triumph, while I was 
speaking in the stand. At this camp meeting 
at Rushford, Allegany county, was about the 
first manifestation of that fearfulness and fault- 
finding spirit among what was called the Pil- 
grim, or Nazarite Army, which has so distract- 
ed some of the people in Western New York. 
One of those lambs was sent, before this trial, 
by the Lord, into the stand, and said that the' 
Lord showed her after she was sanctified, that- 



DIKECT ANSAVER TO PRAYER. 



15 



He wanted her to take off her hoops, and she 
did; and, also, some wish-rings. This hit the 
respectable devils, and they did what they could, 
obtained a committee of five, all preachers, I 
believe, to pass a resolution that no woman 
should go into the stand or pulpit, unless in- 
vited. The next morning an old Sister TV , 

who had found a clean heart that night, was 
sent by the Holy Ghost — for she knew not the 
action' of the committee. — into the stand to tes- 
tify, to tell what she had found. This bad, 
mean, spirit of small, little Popery, has been 
showing itself more or less ever since that meet- 
ing, grieving the Lord, and many who love 
Him. 

DIRECT ANSWER TO PRATER. — APOSTOLIC 
FAITH. 

In 1836, while walking home, seven miles 
from a protracted meeting, the Lord gave me a 
discovery of the Apostolic /a i^/i, and the secret 
of the world' s conversion. A reformation broke 
out at home, and fifteen of the youth and child- 
ren about were converted. Among them was 
my eldest son, Albert Reddy, then about six 
years old; he had read the New Testament 
through that winter. He died safe in his 
twenty-fourth year. I had a remarkable ans- 
wer to prayer the next year. Being seven miles 
away from home, at work, a week at a time, dn 
Friday night, about 8 or 9 o'clock, I had word 
that my son was very sick, and my wife sent 
for me to come home; I reasoned, it was late 
to go on foot so far, was going the next night; 
could' nt find rest, but started, went fifty rods, 
turned aside by the road and kneeled down to 
pray; the bell ra,ng for 9 o'clock; I asked the 
Lord to heal him. I saw Jesus, by faith, stand 
at the front side of his bed, and these words 
came with emphasis: " Go thy loay^ thy son 
liveth.^^ I sprang to my feet, when the next 
words came: "And the man believed the word 
that Jesus had spoken." I said, " I believe, I 
icon't doubt it,'" v/eut back and retired to bed 
easy. When home late the next night, I found 
my son well, — had been at play all day. 
Was he very sick? I inquired. Yes; he 
was not able to sit up any that day. But 
he said in the evening, "Mother, I'm most 
well, my head don't ache a bit." She looked 
up and saw it was just niiie o'clock. The same 
hour (and minute may be,) in which Jesus had 
said, " Go thy loay, thy son liveth.'" Thus the 
" Spirit cmct Word" are seen to agree. 

Another case : "While attending a prayer meet- 
ing in the place and house where I was converted 
and had been class leader some years previous, 

several prayed in the meeting for a Sister G 

who lived near by, who had been sick about six 
n|onths — not able to stand her entire weight on 
her feet. While closing the meeting by prayer, 
the sick sister came before my mind. I asked 
God: " Raise her to health," saying, " Eight, 
or eight and thirty years are both alike to Thee. " 
The crooked back woman healed by Jesus in 
the synagogue came in sight, and the power 
went through my body. Soon I heard the sis- 
ters talking with each other, "Sister G 's 

going to get well." 1 stayed there that night; 
the next day she walked about her house, and 



has been a hearty, well woman nearly ever 
since, (thirty years. ) Here's another instance 
where the Word and Spirit agree. 

A LOST PREACHER POUND. 

I was once at a preacher's house, with 
six or eight others, in the evening, for a 
season of prayer; the preacher absconded to 
bed, up stairs. While thus praying, the case 
of Peter in prison, to be executed the next day 
by Herod, was soon shown; its application to 
the preacher; — his wife went up and tried to get 
him to come down. At last the Lord impressed 
me so deeply with his danger — told me to go up 
and get him, but he was afraid to come down, 
the light so distressed him. 1 went the second 
time, touched him, but did not pidl or lift him 
up as the angel did Peter. We left; his wife 
lay till two o'clock the next afternoon before he 
yielded. They then came where we were, he 
kissed us, and said it was all true, " Twenty 
years ago I was convicted for a clean heart; 
being a traveling preacher, I prayed for it about 
a year — told no one. At last I was threatened, 
and became afraid I would become deranged if 
I did not stop — dare not pray." He now said, 
with tears, "teach me and help me all you can :" 
I heard he said to the society the next Sunday, 
" If I had died anytime m the last twenty 
years I should have gone to hell." But I sup- 
pose he became ashamed of his confession — he 
afterwards became vevj tenacious for the icord; 
and once since, while I was slain in a love-feast, 
where he was, I saw that preacher with a Bible 
under his arm, going swiftly down an inclined 
plane towards hell, which was at the other end 
of it — he talking about the Bible. 

A VISION OF THE BURNING LAKE, 

In lS61,while ayoungman,thentraveliiigwith 
me. and myself were in the woods in Erie county, 
we kneeled down to pray for a man who was 
very religious, — a sorcerer as seen afterwards, — 
who was building a horse-barn where we were 
stopping. He had become a mystery to me; 
I was in doubt if he was in reach of mercy. 
xVfter closing my eyes, I saw a part of a circle 
on my right, which kept enlarging and more 
distant, until it became vast in size and dis- 
tance, and was gone. A little hope then shone 
on me in his behalf, (as there are no bounds 
to God's mercy.) My attention was then 
turned to the left, thinking of the power and 
dominion of Jesus — was going to ask him 
to put an "injunction" on the devil, so he 
could not drive him away, if convicted, when 
nobody could pray for him. And while I was 
repeating ^^ Angels, and authorities, and pow- 
ers., are made subject to Thee," I fell. Soon I 
saw the man at a vast distance off, a dark spot, 
and the line or circle-sun dividing between him 
and hell — the burning lake : Saw men and wo- 
men treading its fiery waves, meeting in fierce 
encounter — one tall, very slim woman, young, 
yet she looked old and wi'inkled from extreme 
suffering. Horror, vengeance, and wretchedness 
in the extreme, was depicted on her counte- 
nance. I found the tears ovei-flowing ray eyes 
with joy, as I lay on my back, that that man 
I was praying for was ou?^ic?e the burning lake. 



IG 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



It is difficult for me sometimes to relate this 
vision of hell; it overcomes me, and God has 
sent his power on me several times while in 
the pulpit, made me roar, lost my strength 
and fell, taking me from such a scene. 

LAYING ON HANDS. 

The following article was published in the 
Lockport Daily Journal in the month of No- 
vember, 1863, called out by the following cir- 
cumstances, viz: The writer went to Lockport, 
where he had preached, and was pastor of the 
society. On Sunday morning the Lord told him 
to go to the Methodist Meeting- house, and lay 
his hands on the preacher's head and pray for 
him while he was praying. It was a great cross. 
I came into the house where I was then stop- 
ping and said, " I dont know but God has sent 
me here to drive the devils out of Lockport." I 
soon fell by the power of God, prostrate on the 
carpet floor, and thus went through a prepara- 
tion — a fitting up process for the extraordinary 
work to which the Spirit had suddenly called 
me. I got up, and without stopping to change 
clothes, went to the meeting and obeyed the 
Lord. The next day a notice of it appeared in 
the "Daily," under the following head, viz: 
' 'J. new feature in public service. ' ' 

"Just as Rev. E. M. Buck, Pastor of the 
Niagara Street M. E. Church, had commenced 
repeating the Lord's Prayer, at the close of the 
public invocation yesterday morning, Rev. Mr. 
Reddy, Nazarite preacher, who was present in 
the audience, rose from his knees, ascended the 
pulpit stairs and laid his hands upon Mr. Buck's 
head. He did this, he said, by the direct influ- 
ence of the Holy Spirit. Mr. Reddy was remo- 
ved from the church by the trustees. ' ' 

Then the Lord told me to write a vindication. 
It was written, and presented to the Editor. 
He said he would publish it, the writer signing 
the two last initials of his name. The editor 
informed the readers in the following words, viz : 
'♦ The author of the article on our fourth page 
to-day, entitled ' a new feature in public wor- 
ship.' is Rev. A. Reddy, pastor of the Nazarite 
Church in this place, and is a reply to an arti- 
cle with the same heading, which appeared in 
our local column a few days since." The fol- 
lowing is the article : 

"a new feature IN PUBLIC SERVICE — A PRE- 
CIOUS GIFT — A VINDICATION. 

" Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thoii 
stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the put- 
ting on of my hands.''' — 2cl Tim. i. 6. 

" This act is now regarded as ^ a new feature 
in public service.' The imposition of hands is 
practiced by nearly all who believe in the Chris- 
tian religion at the present day, — except the 
Quakers,who have laid aside nearly all outward 
forms. But where it is practiced now who wit- 
nesses any demonstration of power, or that the 
Holy Ghost is given in answer to prayer, even 
in the ordaining of ministers by Bishops and El- 
ders? It was witnessed when Paul laid his 
hands on the twelve men at Ephesus. ' The 
Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with 
tongues and prophesied.' (See Acts xix. 6.) 



"Again, Ananias. & private member of the 
church, was sent to lay his hands on Saul, (after- 
wards called Paul, ) that he might receive his 
sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And 
' immediately there fell from his eyes as it had 
been scales, and he received sight. ' 

** Here was a precious gift received by the lay- 
ing on of hands, because it was by the special 
direction of God — all time and circumstances, 
and that, too, by a layman's hands. Timothy 
received same gift by Paul's hands, which he 
was admonished to remember, and ' stir up. ' 
Paul longed to see the church at Rome, that he 
might impart to them ' some spiritual gift, to 
the end ye may be established.' (See Rom. i, 
2. ) Here is the trouble with the ministers and 
the members of the church noio — they are not 
established for want of those gifts which are es- 
sential to the christian church to the end of 
time. 

" 'And He gave some apostles, and some proph- 
ets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and 
teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the 
work of the ministery, for the edifying of the 
body of Christ. T'ill we all come to the unity 
of the faith unto the knowledge of the Son of 
God, unto a perfect man, unto the fulness of 
Christ.' (Eph. iv, 11-13,) These grades of 
officers were given by Christ to the church, to 
make her perfect in one body. 

" Then the Holy Ghost has ' His gifts to im- 
part to each one — (numbers and all) severally, 
as 'i?e will,' by the laying on of hands.' 'God 
wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul, 
so that from his body were brought to the sick, 
handkerchiefs or aprons, and diseases depart- 
ed from them, and the evil spirits went out of 
them.' (Acts xix, 11-12.) 

" The laying on of hands is classed in the 6th 
chapter of Hebrews among the principles (ele- 
mentary,) of the 'Doctrine of Christ,' viz.: 
Repentence, faith, baptism, &c. , which we are 
exhorted to leave and go on to perfection. 

' ' 'And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of 
the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his 
hands on him. (Deut. xxxiv, 9 ; see also Num. 
xxvii, 18-23.) 'And they brought young chil- 
dren to him that he should put his hands on 
them and pray, (touch them. ') (Mat. xix, 14. ) 
Kings were set apart and anointed with oil, and 
by those, too, in some cases, who were to be 
their subjects, but were now made their servants 
by the special direction of God. ' * Then 
Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon 
his (Saul's) head, and kissed him.' (1st Sam. 
X L ) 'And the Lord said, arise, anoint him, 
for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of 
oil and anointed him in the midst ot his breth- 
ren, and the spirit of the Lord came up(m 
David from that day forward.' (1st Sam. xvi, 
12-13.) Also the case of the son of the prophet 
sent to anoint Jehu king; he brake the box, 
spake the words given him, opened the door, 
and fled. The captains present, said : ' Where- 
fore came this mad fellow to thee ? ' 

" The religious assemblies would now regard 
it as disturbing their meeting, for a man thus 
hastily to be sent to pray for their ministers and 
his people — to aid them in their aggressive war 



AVOMAN HYPOCRITE AT LOCKPOllT. 



against the devil, the head rebel and author of 
all sin. But is it not rather an interruption of 
the messenger sent, and of his work ; and, also, 
interrupting the gracious designs of the Lord, 
who sent him on that errand, for the minister 
to decline through feai-, unbelief: and for the 
trustees to conduct the man of God out of the 
religious assembly, as an unsafe person to re- 
main during the rest of the 'service?' The 
heathen in the desert does not know when 
' good comes. ' " 

•• Blind unbelief is ?»iire to err, 

And scan Ms work in vain." 

" There are a few who are inclined to believe 
the loliole Bible^ especially its liviyig truths, and 
in its living and unchangeable author. 

" But all who represent Jesus Christ, and like 
him, and being led and anointed with the Holy 
Ghost, — whom God hath given to them that 
obey Him, — will be misunderstood ; and to many 
in Zion they icill be a ' stumbling stone and 
rock of offence," as Jesus Christ. 

' ' The Master himself was misunderstood. 
' Set for the fall and raising again of many in 
Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken 
again.' But that messenger would take any 
place to do service to a minister of Jesus Christ, 
or to anv child of God, without complaining. 
'Wash the saints' feet,' if the Spirit of the 
Lord should direct." 

X Y. 

Lockport, Nov. 11, 1863. 

'' BEWARE OF MEN," AXD WOMEN TOO. '' OXE 
SINXER DESTROYETH MUCH GOOD." 

The first spring I was at Lockport there came 
into the place a hypocritical woman, (as seen 
afterwards, ) as a laborer in the vineyard — a 
teacher. She collected a few children and went 
about begging for her poor pupils a support for 
them and her family — had a notice in the pa- 
pers. But the greatest mischief was, in dividing, 
the now gathered Nazarite Society, and leading 
off the discontents — gaining the third trustee, 
and then securing a constable to watch me, as I 
learned afterwards — had obtained a preacher to 
occupy the pulpit. But the Spirit put the cross 
on eight or nine of the Nazarite women, who 
Avould not let the beguiled preacher proceed, 
when some half hour after the meeting was clo- 
sed, one of the sisters, moving about with eyes 
closed, came against the elbow of the constable 
whose name was John Anderson, who grabbed 
the woman and started for the jail, with a mul- 
titude following in the streets, the woman sing- 
ing and shouting as she went so, happy as she 
never was before in all her life. She was locked 
up in jail, but taken out that night by the sheriff 
to sleep with his hired girl. 

The next day, while her husband and the rest 
of us were preparing to go down to the court, 
one of the brethren began to repeat the consta- 
ble' s name in connection with some lines of the 
old song, ' ' John Anderson my Jo John,' ' &c. 
Soon we had a song for the occasion, which I 
arranged and took to the editor of the daily pa- 
per, and he published the following lines, ma- 
Idng sport for some of the young people with 
the constable, who was afraid of the consquen- 



ces of false imprisonment, calling him "Jo 
John:" 

John Anderson, my Jo John, 

When we were first acqxiaint, 
Yon little thought it then. John,. 

Y'^ou'd have to lead a saint ; 
The ways of God are wondrous, John,/ 

Be careful how you fight, 
Because the Holy Ghost, John. 

Does lead the Nazarite. 

Oh, you should understand, John, 

That you will siu-ely fail, 
To think you'll stop the work, John. 

By taking them to jail ; 
The Holy Ghost is in them, John, 

The God you do not see, 
O ojive yom* heart to Him, John, 

If you would happy be. 

The woman figured about — making havoc of 
peace with many of the society. One of the 
trustees said '' That woman's influence like to 
have ruined him ' ' — nearly shipwrecked his 
faith while she was getting two parties in the 
society. But she, her husband and family, were 
warned out of the rented dwelling house for 
want of payment of the rent, and finally left the 
place in the night, as report says, to parts un- 
known there, leaving the party who could not, 
or xoould not endure the searching light of truth 
which would make them just right with God to 
" persecute those who were born after the Spir- 
it,' ' and obeyed him. They had hopes of get- 
ting me arrested instead of Sister T , who 

went to jail — said if they could get me, then 
they could get possession of the meeting-house 
without much trouble. The path God led me 
to point out to heaven was a little too narrow, 
and brought a little more reproach than was con- 
genial with the unsanctified elements of their 
nature and disposition. I could not daub with 
untempered mortar, nor feel easy till I saw them 
possessing the fullness of God. I could not be 
content to sing the old hymn, viz : 

" Insatiate to this spring I fly, 

I drink, and yet am ever dry, 
Ah, who against thy charms is proof, 

Ah who that loves can love enough," 

While Jesus said, ' • He that drinketh of the wa- 
ter that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but 
it shall be in him a well of water, springing up 
into everlasting life," — '^Ile shall be filled!'^ 
So in view of the above experimental truth, we 
sing this, as being more appropriate and con- 
genial with our experience and feelings : 

Insatiate to this spring I fly, 
I drink, and never more am dry; 

Ah, who against thy charms is proof. 
For here we drink and find enough. 

Whoever attempts to get a habitation for the 
living God there at Lockport, especially among 
those discontents, they will have to clear away 
a great deal of rubbish before a good foundation 
can be obtained on which to rear a pure church 
of Jesus Christ. The Spirit has been grieved. 
Some things must be seen and confessed ere he 
can lead them. 

FIRST IMPRISOXMEXT. 

About the middle of July, 1861, I returned 
home, having been absent above eight months, 
— some having been turned out of the church, 
and most all were discouraged under the pres- 

(3) 



l^AZARITE THEOLOGY. 



sure. But the drooping was soon cheered 
throughout the land on account of four of us be- 
ing imprisoned five days, charged with disturb- 
ing a religious meeting, (our own meeting, too, ) 
viz. : three men and one v/oman, a preacher's 
wife, Sydney McCreery, Henry Shingler, who 
had had the charge of the meeting for more 
than two years, my son, Russell Reddy, and 
myself I was slain by the poAver of God, my 
feet lodging against the stove. The woman 
was taken out and lay on the platform by the 
power, about three hours in the night. We 
proved it to be our meeting, but the Squire, to 
compromise, as he thought, fi7ied us each one 
dollar. But when it was intimated we were 
going to jail, "Oh, I'll pay your fine," said 
the court. But we could not consent to have 
any one pay it; we saw God wanted us in 
prison. They were three days trying us, and 
the people woul'd gather around us while we 
were singing, as soon as the court adjourned 
for meals, etc. They wanted us to hold meet- 
ings among them, — offered us the town hall if 
we would consent to come. It was said as 
many as fifty people were turned away that 
came to the jail to see us the day before we 
were released.' The pilgrims in the street 
would join us in singing, as we could get to 
the window and overlook the wall. Not ten 
minutes but we were happy, and from the first 
could sing from an experience of its truth with- 
out telling a lie — 

"And prisons do palaces prove, 

For Jesus does dwell with me there." 

The Sheriff would not permit us to stay un- 
til the five days were ' ' fully come, ' ' viz. : four 
o'clock Sunday afternoon; but insisted on our 
leaving early in the morning. I understood, 
afterwards, that it was expected that I would 
preach in the court-yard at 4 o'clock. The 
Sheriff had some fears of a disturbance. I sup- 
pose several hundreds did come, but we were 
gone home to "Waterport to a grove-meeting, 
appointed for our reception, where we told our 
experience, etc. I attended eight camp-meet- 
ings and two grove-meetings that summer; saw 
hundreds converted and sanctified to God; the 
faith of the church wonderfully increased, and 
the devil and many others confounded, and 
others edified by the exhibitions of the power 
of God manifested in healing and otherwise. 

A TRIAL OF FAITH — IMPRISONMENT. 

In the fall of 1864, I was in Albion, at a 
prayer-meeting. While in family prayer in 
the morning, where I was invited to stay over 
night, I was much blest, and directed by the 
Spirit to go to Lockport— that somebody was 
sick there. The case of Philip, directed by the 
angel to go '-towards the south, in the way 
that goeth from Jerusalem to Gaza," was pre- 
sented. I had money enough to go, but not 
enough to return. I went. I soon found that 
Catharine Courtney^ a girl thirteen years old, 
and once reclaimed through my efforts, — living 
then where I boarded — had backslidden, and 
had for three months been, by four doctors, 
given over to die, now nearly a skeleton. The 



Lord soon showed me that I must go and see 
her. I went, but she didn't want any body to 
pray for her. I could scarcely keep from weep- 
ing; my sympathies were so moved for the poor 
sutterer and unprepared for death — I lacked 
courage. I went away, but God showed me, 
after about thirty hours trembling under the 
cross, that her blood would be upon me if I did 
not go and put my hands on her head — having 
an intimation of opposition from a wicked sis- 
ter and also from an ungodly mother of the 
girl; an intimation also that I was going to be 
a prisoner. Not knowing positively for what 
it was required, I did finally go, and laid on my 
hands, saying the Lord told me to ; was in the 
house perhaps ten seconds. In an hour or 
more I was arrested — charged with "assault 
and battery," because she didn't consent to it. 
I was sent to jail on Saturday, and on Monday 
was tried ; made no defence ; the court was at a 
loss to know whether to send me to prison or to 
the Insane Asylum. Catharine died, I after- 
wards learned, four days after. I have some 
hopes that the circumstances, and my subse- 
quent sentence to prison three' months at Buf- 
falo, was the means of arousing the poor girl — 
that she is saved. But the house of the family 
took fire in the night, soon after I went to Buf- 
falo, and almost everything they had was 
destroyed, and they left for Canada, as I 
learned when my three month' s imprisonment 
was ended. God converted two, and made a 
revolution in the conduct of the prisoners in 
the jail at Lockport. I was put in iron lorist- 
lets for singing and praying, but finally taken 
out of the dungeon ("the inner prison, my 
feet were not made fast in the stocks, ) and the 
prisoners began to ask me to pray for them. 
Being versed in the Bible, I could'read in the 
dark a chapter from memory, and pray for 
each one by name as each would ask and tell me. 
One, Mary Newcomb, from Canada, had a 
child two months old — had been in jail four 
mouths — decoyed across the river. She be- 
came involved in censure by her husband be- 
ing a deserter from the army. She had got 
away from God, but was blest that first night. 
She asked me to pray for her. A very fine and 
kind-hearted woman. She was so glad that I 
had come, and for the change that was wrought 
— all swearing stopped, the rough tyranny and 
extortion of the jailer, a late superannuated cap- 
tain, interrupted some. Mrs. Newcomb said 
she had paid him as much as .fifteen dollars for 
errands and mailing letters — two shillings for 
each letter, and from two to five cents for each 
envelope. They have more than the way of 
sentence to punish prisoners, when they get 
them where they can. But it cost me forty 
hours fasting and prayer to obtain victory over 
the workhouse. But when it came, then I 
wanted to see the officers and prisoners. And 
I believe I shall see some of them in heaven, 
as the fruit of my being a prisoner there. Some 
were convicted and led to praying. The over- 
seer in the warehouse where I worked wanted 
me to pray for him — he and the doorkeeper both 
kneeling down while I prayed, and roared, and 
shouted, — was heard in the shop, yet no pris- 



PREACHED AT POOR HOUSE. 



19 



oner is allowed to talk with prisoners. Two 
were heard praying overhead most all one af- 
ternoon. I heard that the officers said they did 
not treat me hardly as a prisoner. After a lit- 
tle, I saw a great change in the spirit of some 
of the officers, and prisoners too. I have no 
doubt that many of them were put there for a 
mere trifle; some by bribery and some by per- 
jury; some in for thirty and even sixty days 
for intoxication; the many officers and wealthy 
company hiring the labor for a mere trifle per 
day, (about 20 cents, without boarding them, ) 
while these are robbed and confined of men and 
women. One German in for pushing a man 
out of his way before him, so he could pass 
along; the man, trying to get him to "a.§t," 
kept close before him. The German, not being- 
able to speak English, had plenty of money, 
but no friends. He was charged with assault 
and battery, and sent to the workhouse for six 
months, in less than five hours after leaving the 
steamboat. A widower, just from Germany, 
with his only child, had visited a brother at 
Chicago. I thought, while there, that I should 
have to write and expose these wrongs endured, 
but "'On the side of the oppressor there is 
strength, ' ' and then it is next to impossible for 
a prisoner, if he can write and have time to get 
a letter out, to make known his wants, or where 
he is, even; — such treachery and want of inter- 
est is felt. They have a chaplain, but it is only 
in nar)ie and for the pay. Further than read- 
ing an essay on some abstract subject, with no 
hope that a prisoner can be made better. I 
think they are never visited by the chaplain, 
sick or well. I had a partial promise by the 
superintendent that I might .preach to them at 
the close, or when my time was expired. I 
stayed four days, till the next Sunday, in the 
city, for that purpose. But the fear of being 
censured or laughed at for letting a prisoner 
preach stood so before him. And then his sal- 
ary of a thousand dollars a year was something 
in the way of a politician more than the honor 
of God. I visited the poor at the county-house 
of Erie Co., sung and talked with the inmates, 
some five hundred and thirty, and about one 
hundred and thirty in the "insane" depart- 
ment. I was strongly impressed that God was 
fitting me to preach to and visit the poor and 
prisoners. After returning home, I did preach 
to the poor in the Orleans county house, near 
my own residence; and five or six were con- 
verted, one, a colored man, near death with con- 
sumption. The poor fellow wept, and prayed, 
and then praised the Lord for his deliverance. 
In the fall of 1866, I went to Albion, Orleans 
county, on Sunday, to meeting. I had heard 
that my son, John \Y. Reddy, was going to 
preach at the "Free Methodist's" meeting- 
house. When I came in sight, and to the gate. 
I found two gate-keepers, who said, "You can't 
go in here — the Trustees have decided you dis- 
turb our meeting— we' 11 have you in jail," etc. 
I was there two weeks before, and while a 

young brother, B , was preaching, I. was 

silently praying the Lord to help him preach 
the Gospel. Jesus gave me such love. He 
then told me to go and "greet him with a holy 



kiss." But he declined, and after stepping ofl" 
the platform or pulpit, going to my seat again, 
the power of God prostrated me on the carpet, 
and some two hours after. I arose and all Avcre 
gone. I went home, but it seems they thought 
that my laying silently on their carpet was dis- 
turbing their meeting. I didn't try much to go 
in, but said, " God has sent me here to pray for 
you.''' Soon a constable came, and said, " Go 
with me." ''Are you a public officer?" He 
said, "Yes." ''i'/Z go loith you.'" Locked 
arms and walked two or three rods ; my 
strength left me instantly; I could not lift a 
finger; I would have helped if I could. They 
carried me, and I found myself locked up in a 
prisoner's cell, so happy and in deep love and 
travail for them, I couldn't sit up more than one 
hour out of twenty-five, before they M'ere ready 
to receive and entertain me at the court-room. 
Even then they had no precept, and only one 
came or appeared as "the accuser." I told 
him that it was their unbelief which caused the 
disturbance, if any; that 1 never came except 
when the Lord told me, and sent me to help 
them against the devil ; and they might depend 
on this, viz. : I never will come without his 
special direction; that many of their own mem- 
bers said they didn' t see why they made such a 
fuss about Father Reddy coming to their meet- 
ing — that they were glad to have him come. 
"Well, if you come again, keep still," said the 
"accuser of the brethren." I had told my 
wife that the Lord had sent me to Jericho that 
morning. She said, "Well, you won't get the 
walls down to-day," but here they were flat. 



CHAPTER ni. 



SATAN TRANSFORMED — A REMARKABLE VISION 
AT BAPTISM. 



In 1865, I preached in a Wesleyau meeting 
house in Allegany county, on Sunday, or first 
day of the week, and after the sermon I bap- 
tized two persons, one man. and a young woman 

by the name of Nancy W , fourteen jears 

old. When I raised Nancy out of the water, 
she saw Jesus and a multitude of holy Angels 
around him, all in white, and everything glis- 
tening and dazzling so bright, it seemed to 
distress her eyes — unconscious of being in the 
water, but thought she was up where Jesus and 
the Angels were; — that Jesus was clothed in 
white, and that he appeared as large as two 
large men; that his long beard was white, his 
long hair also hung down on his shoulders as 
white as snow; that he stood before her with a 
book in his hand as large as a door. written full; 
the reading beginning at the right, reading to 
the left; that he said ''tell Mr. Beddy first;" 
that her mother's name was in large capital 
letters reaching across the book, glistening like 
gold; and while straining her eyes to resist the 
light, they came open; the vision closed; she 
shouted two or three times; was losing her 
strength and falling backwards into the water 
again, but I kept her from falling, led her near 



20 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



the shore, and she came near falling again. But 
I knew nothing of the vission until the next 
day, when Satan tried hard to keep her from 
saying anything about it ; but the tempter was 
overcome and her countenance was wonderfully 
lighted up. She told me what she had seen, 
and then told it to others; and a man was 
struck under conviction and blest before he left 
the house. The vision greatly encouraged me 
from that time forward. While I had an iso- 
lated priesthood and much opposition, and 
esteemed by many as doing harm and very little 
good in the world, the Lord Jesus had just sent 
me word that small as it seemed to others, yet 
He and thousands of his Angels interested, 
came down in sight to witness this baptism — 
great in the sight of the Lord. 

Soon after this I was sent again to Chautau- 
qua county, and then up the lake to Ohio, first 
to Cleveland, after three or four back-sliders who 
had gone away from the cross at Lockport, 
and a brother-in-law and his wife, back in the 
country about twenty miles, where I preached 
some for two weeks or more and saw some fruit. 
A Brother Strong, a young man, was sanctified 
and has gone to holding meetings since ; others 
also were convicted, and said they never had seen 
anybody happy in religion until they saw me; 
some, grown up, never had conviction before. 

I returned from Ohio to Allegany county, 
where I had left my horse and buggy, and from 
thence to Cazenovia camp-meeting, by way of 
home, staying a little more than a day. Hav- 
ing been gone over four months, taking with me 
Brother M. Tinkum, who has traveled with me 
some before and since. We were gone some six 
weeks hunting up the tempted and the down- 
troden. We visited and stayed one night at the 
'' Oneida community.'" But arriving at the 
camp-meeting a great cross came on me, an in- 
timation of which had been given me by the 
Spirit, where we stayed about five miles distant. 
In ten minutes after coming on the ground, I 
had to go into the stand and speak a few min- 
utes, and the power came; I was set laughing 
and slain. Soon after I arose, the committee of 
laymen and preachers waited on me, requesting 
me to leave the ground, threatening me with 
their authority if I did not, and if I took any 
part in the meeting. I told them, the Lord 
had sent me there; that I was not at liberty to 
say I would leave until He should direct me; — 
said, " brethren you do not know what you are 
doing;" I was set laughing, filled with such love 
for them and all the people, I threw my arms 
arms around one of the preachers' necks and fell. 
They were confounded. I was such a mystery. 
They went away and left me without obtaining 
any promise from me. I must say to the credit 
of my brother, William Reddy, the Presiding 
Elder of the district, that he " had not con- 
sented to the counsel and deed of themf^ these 
words were given me by the Spirit, while I was 
in a query whether he being one of the commit- 
tee was in it, but was not novo among them, 
which I found to be the truth an hour after- 
wards. He came out and invited us to come 
into his tent to dinner. I lay on the carpet on 
my back, being burdened and in travail for the 



people all the afternoon, so that I could scarcely 
lift my hand. On Sunday I had to go into the 
stand at the close of my brother's sermon; 
spoke a few words, after some opposition from 
a preacher, who had got the stairway filled up 
with himself and others. But I succeeded in 
gaining the stand, where was exhibited a prac- 
tical comment on the sermon^ which was on the 
nature and workings of ^ ^unbelief. ^' The pres- 
sure was so heavy and infernal that it nearly 
suffocated me while attempting to speak a few 
words in favor of union in prayer and action, 
and the one preacher to reach and save the 
seven or eight thousand that were now before 
us on the camp-ground. But the want of faith 
among the preachers, and sympathy and co- 
operation with me, which I deeply felt at the 
time, so pressed me that God set me into a mix- 
ture of "■howV and weeping aloud, I was soon 
slain in the stand by the power of God. When 

I arose, I^was grabbed by Brother H , one 

of the traveling preachers, and made a prisoner 
in the lower part of fhe stand, threatened with 
warrant, jail, (fee, if I would not promise to 
leave the ground. The Squire came; I told 
them I was under contract to another master — 
had promised to ''do the will of God,^' that 
when I£e told me to go, I would cheerfully. 
The Justice after a while came, took me by the 
hand and said, this man will do you no harm, 
and went away leaving his law-book till the 
close of the meeting. 

But God soon rebuked their pride and will — 
their authority — for He sent a heavy rain sud- 
denly that day, which continued all night and 
the next day, which drenched the ground well. 
They meddled no more with me; I took part in 
the meetings as the Lord directed me, and the 
last two days was a glorious returning to the 
blood of Jesus for the cleansing. Many were 
sanctified and others restored. I almost won- 
dered that they would cotoe to me and relate 
their experience, as if I had been almost the 
sole instrument in their success, although I was 
not present when they found the cleansing- 
blood ; yet my burden and ''travail ' ' had some 
relation to their cleansing; for while I lay in 
the tent the first afternoon, these words were 
before me and were brought to my remember- 
ance, viz. : " He shall see his seed" Again, 
" he shall see of the travail of his soul and 
shall be satisfied by his knowledge, his experi- 
ence, or faith, shall my righteous servant justify 
many, for he shall hear their iniquities. " Jesus 
took me to the garden, showed me how he tra- 
vailed for the world of sinners; and the satis- 
faction and encouragement it gave me to see 
the church so happy and strong in the Lord, 
more than compensated me for the apparent 
disgrace, the reproach and insult received, or 
offered ; * ' He was despised and rejected of men. ' ' 
' ' Ye shall be brought before a Magistrate, 
for my name-sake hated of all men, but there 
shall not a hair of your head perish ; in your 
patience, possess ye your souls." — Jesus. 

A TEST OF FAITH. 

When we were about to return home from one 
of these camp-meetings, after preaching at a 



SATAN TRAXSFORMED. 



21 



private house in Onondaga county, one evenipg 
after going to bed, the Lord humbled and 
brought me to the cross, viz. : To go to the cars 
for home and say to the conductor, '• I am a 
traveling preacher, this is the fourth time I've 
been sent by the Lord to Cazanovia camp- 
meetings, I have always had a ticket, till now 
I have none, nor money either, except about 
two shillings, you can have that, then do the 
best you can with me, God bless you, I want 
to go homBj carry me or set me off as you can 
afford." I was much blessed, I had the faith 
now, but had been beset by the devil several 
times with this question, viz. : " How are you 
going to get home?" This question I could 
not answer the devil, for I did not know myself, 
and no one had offered me money, and I was 
not allowed to even hint to any one. not even 

to Brother T , my companion in tribulation. 

We went to the depot and I stood outside the 
office a little to settle it in my mind; get cour- 
age so that I should not falter; I came to the 
door, met Brother Tinkum with two tickets, 
handing me one of them. The Spirit came on 
me, set me to shouting ixnd roaring, and preach- 
ing Jesus, and salvation to the multitude throng- 
ing the depot at Syracuse. So grateful to God 
for his ca?-e for and over me, "whom am less 
than the least of all Saints," is this grace 

(faith) given. Brother T , said the Lord 

had told him near a week previous, but he did 
not think to say anything to me; and I had 
some reason to suppose he had only enough to 
bear his own expenses home. This was a great 
test of my faith and of my will, yet it did head 
off and conquered the devil. 

A KIXD — AFTERWAKDS A CORJIECTIVE PROVI- 
DEXCE. 

In 1864, I came to a brothers house where I 
had always found a hearty welcome, as Jesus 
did at the house of Bethany. While in the 
horse-barn one day, he said : "Do you know 
what you've come for ?' ' then said : ' 'you've come 
for that horse. The Lord told me to give you 
that horse when you came again." I said, "Are 
you sure that the Lord told you to give me 
that horse?" '-Yes, I know it, and it is your 
horse." After my return from Ohio, by Allegany 
county, the next year, I had an offer of $28.00 
for the colt, but being out of the habit of traffic 
or trade, and the colt being thought young to 
wean, I passed on, but a break of the canal 
swept the colt off into the stream twice; I then 
had a strong hint to sell the colt. Afterwards 
I was offered $35.00, but only half money down. 
The nearer I came to home, the less food for 
winter. I planned on haste home from Cazeno- 
via camp-meeting, for to go south again to sell 
that colt. My youngest boy took us to the cars, 
then drove down into the village (Albion.) but 
just as the train came, I found my little boy 
hold of my hand, saying with tears, ^'father, 
the colt is dead! the thill run into the shoul- 
der." The conductor said: "all aboard." I 
said, Mark, do the best you can. The train was 
off. The Lord showed me that He laid plans 
for me the rest of my life. That I must write 
Mark, say it was the Lord who cared more for 



souls — human happiness — than for colts; that 
he must not blame himself, that God wanted 
me to know the colt was dead, so I could be 
free away. 

SATAX TRANSFORMED. 

The following is a copy of a letter written in 
reply to an article found in the October num- 
ber of " Earnest Christian," ISGG, published ai 
Rochester, X. Y., under the heading ^' Satan 
Transformed,'' in which the writer states that 
satan is not only transformed into an angel of 
light, but that ''Satan is transformed into an 
angel of love / that he enters the soid 
through the channel of love. Does he not most 
frequently do it?''^ This hlind thrust at the 
vitals of the Christian, and this ''blasphemy^' 
of the Holy Ghost, attributing to the devil this 
essential nature of God, viz. : Love, is what 
gave rise to these pages : 

Clarksox, Nov. 20, 1S6G. 
A. Reddt, to the Anthor of " Satan Translbrmed :" 

What! back again into love? Well Brother 

R , you have at last came to the stake and 

pulled it up. ''Satan transformed into an 
angel of love. ' ' What a queer devil that would 
be — a loving devil. Whoever heard of such a 
devil till now? The Bible, or rather the Apos- 
tle under the direction of the spirit of God, 
says: " God is love, and he that loveth is born 
of God and knoweth God; he that loveth not, 
knoweth not God, for God is love.'' Again: 
"If we love one another, God (not the devil) 
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 
Again: '' We know that we have passed from 
death unto life, because we love the brethren. ' ' 
And again: " By this shall all men know that 
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to 
another." 

Now, Brother R , the Lord has laid it on 

me to sit down and say a few words in this 
manner for the defence of truth and for the pro- 
tection of the Lord's lambs; and it may be for 
some of his sickly sheep, or the feeble of his 
flock, who have always, heretofore, under temp- 
tation and the "fiery darts" of Satan, had this 
last stake or snubing post to hold their little 
barque against the downward current, viz. : this, 
That although Satan could have access to the 
mind in his lies and deceptive allurements — yet 
he could not counterfeit love — could not get into 
a heart filled with humble love. But now this 
is at last removed out of sight of your readers, 
if they credit what you have said ; and how 
few will have the independence to dispute, or 
question what one occupying your position 
has said; and yet you have taken away this 
"key of knowledge" just as the devil has to 
many a convert thrown this doubt, viz. : 
Whether love is God in the soul, or whether it 
is not the devil making us love. But you have 
settled this in your article by saying: " Satan 
enters the soul through the channel of love — 
does he not most frequently do it?" 

Now this had a dangerous "heresy," has 
grieved the Lord and will be, and is a cause of 
grief to many of the children of God, because 
it strikes at the vitals of the Christian. It 



22 



NAZAKITE THEOLOGY. 



certainly destroys, or attributes to the devil's 
agency the only essential element of the reli- 
gion of Jesus Chris t, viz. : Love. You may speak 
with the tongues of men and angels — have the 
gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, 
and all knowledge, and have all faith, so that 
you could remove mountains, and give all your 
goods to feed the poor, and give your body to 
be burned (as a martyr.) This is nothing 
without love — yea, it profits nothing, you are 
not a Christian. But if you love (have God 
within) even without, these constitutes a child 
of God a Christian. This is God' s nature, love, 
and we are partakers of the divine (not the 
devil's) nature, when we love. ''He that dwell- 
eth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him; 
he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is 
love. " "It is the children of the devil, or of the 
flesh, that lust. They that are Christ's, have 
crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. ' ' 
Who believes this, viz. : That the Christian is 
dead to sin — that his affections and passions 
are not under the influence of ^'Satan,^^ but are 
governed and controlled by the " Holy Ghost," 
'"guided into all truth without making mis- 
takes or being ' ' pushed ' ' into error. ' ' He can- 
not sin because he is horn of God." The So7is 
of God only are led by the spirit of God.* 
Again, *' if ye be led by the spirit, ye are not 
under the law.''^ What law is it that the child 
of God is not under, who are led by the spirit ? 
I answer, the law, or any law, which shows the 
nature and sinfulness of sin. But especially 
that code of precepts referred to by Paul, in the 
7th chapter of Romans, to which he declares 
we are dead by the body of Christ. That law 
was our school-master to bring us to Christ, 
that we might be justified hj faith. But after 
that faith is come, we are no longer under a 
school-master : for that law is dead wherein we 
were held that we should serve in newness of 
spirit. 
That we may see the particular law had in 

*Now if Satan can love again and "does most fre- 
quently enter the soul througli the channel of love." 
And if satan can impart love — inspire it in the heart 
of a child of God. — and can turn that -heart towards 
others in love ; then you should call him brother and 
not nickname him Satan, signifying an enemy; and 
you ought to do what you can to remove the unwar- 
ranted lears yet existing in the minds of the people 
and puhlic, of the devil as an enemy, and preach 
more about hell's redemption — a restoration without 
a Saviour, and proclaim to the world that Christ has 
" delivered up the kingdom to God, even the father, 
(or will soon,) for he must reign till all enemies are put 
under his feet." And now that devils can and do love 
again, and can " enter the soul through the channel 
of Zore," and does make the heart flowtowards others 
in love, ( in union.) and make them love; then devils 
are no more enemies. Jesus' work is nearly done, 
fo)' he came to destroy the works of the devil which 
was sin, hatred, enmity. And to restore love, unity and 
peace — '■^good will to men and among men,' ^ Hov '■■love 
worketh'no ill to his neighbor." You say that Satan 
is transformed into an angel of Zove," then Jesus has 
got a fellow helper. Now if all the devils are thus 
transformed into love, then men and women every- 
where, will soon catch this spirit; for "the spirit 
that worketh in the children of disobedience," will 
" transform " others too as well as himself. So these 
transformed de\'ils will soon make every pne like 
themselves ; then selfishness, and war too, will end. But 
Christ can't have all the honor, Satan must have 
some. 



view, Paul mentions one of the precepts of 
what is called the ten commandments, viz. : 
^^ Covet." "I had not known lust, (or sinful de- 
sire,) except the law had said ^'•Tliou shalt not 
covet." What? abrogate or set aside the laio of 
God which is "holy, just and good." Yes. 
Paul says, ^Ht is dead, and zoe are dead to it." 
The relation is dissolved between the law and a 
righteous man ; it was not made and does not 
exist for a righteous man, "but for the ungodly 
and for sinners." The fruit of the spirit is 
love, joy, peace, long suffering, raeakness', gen- 
tleness, goodness, faiih" — Against such tfiere 
is no law. All the law is fulfilled in one word, 
viz.: this, '■'■Love" — love to God and man. 
' ' He that loveth another hath fulfilled the laio. 
Dead to the law by the body of Christ, that we 
should be married to another, even to him that 
is raised from the dead, that we should bring 
forth fruit unto God." [ See Rom. vii, iv,] 

Now, Bro. R , I wish you to publish this 

article in the ' ' Earnest Christian." It will clear 
up many things in which many are confused. 
Don't garble by extracts and exceptions, and 
thus try to draw into your train of thinking — 
for God gave me these thoughts and told me to 
write, first for your benefit, and then for others. 
Show it to your wife. Examine it, and God 
will give you light on some of these points, if 
your eye is single. And don' t stumble over 
some things which you do not understand; 
"Lest that come upon you which was spoken 
by the Prophet, ' Behold ye despisers and won- 
der and perish; for I work a work in your days, 
a work which ye shall in no wise helieve 
though a man declare it unto you ' " — Judicial 
blindness. 

Here the above letter ended, but the same 
train of thought and reasoning continued. But 
without Jesus, the great Commentator, to ex- 
plain or to open our understanding, or the Spirit 
to give us an understanding — the spirtual im- 
port and design of the Scriptures — we shall be 
liable to depend on the mere letter of the law, 
like many of the Jews who were so tenacious of 
their law that in transcribing they counted even 
the number of letters. And yet, neither they 
nor their posterity kept the law nor done the will 
of God. They made broad their ' ^Fhilacteries 
and enlarged the borders of their garments," on 
which they wrote parts of the Bible — and thus 
made an idol even of the Bible — hypocritically 
pretending great attachment to God's word, 
while they were breaking the spirit of the very 
precepts which they pretended to, and taught 
others to keep. They passed over judgment — 
impartial justice — and the love of God. They de- 
voured widows' houses by extortion,- or shaving- 
money — killed the prophets; and they and their 
children laid out their money to garnish (deco- 
rate) the sepulchers of the righteous which their 
fathers had killed for standing for the truth and 
for God. Said Stephen, just a few minutes be- 
fore they murdered him, " Which of the proph- 
ets have not your fathers persecuted and slain, 
who have spoken of the coming of that Just 
One, of whom ye have now been the betrayers 
and murderers. ' ' The Devil thinks more of the 
Bible now than he used to — would not have it 



BIBLE DISPLACING ITS AUTHOR. 



23 



out of the religious world on any account — his 
greatest success is gained here with Christians, 
so called — get them to make an idol of its au- 
thority and yet keep the people from doing the 
will of its Author in observing its real spirit. 
Moses, Ood's chosen leader of the people was 
opposed and vexed by this bad spirit, his task, 
made heavy while he lived, but as soon as God 
had taken and buried him, — no one knew 
where, — then the Devil set up a hunt to find 
the body of Moses, — to make an idol, of course. 
Now all speak well of Moses since he has gone ; 
" But Michael, the Archangel, when contend- 
ing with the Devil, he disputed about the body 
of Moses," (Jude 9th verse) — So with religious 
people now, so soon as they lose sight of God 
as their Sovereign — His loill as their law, — and 
the Spirit as their guide, — then they become as 
tenacious of the ^^Word,'^ (the Bible,) as the 
Jews, and manifest a species of Idolatry even 
of the Bible. Jesus said: ^'None of you keep- 
eth the law; why go you about to kill me?" 
The Devil gets the Bible quoted for him so as 
to "condemn the just,^^ — those who are led by 
the Spirit, — setting the ^^ letter that killeth,^^ 
higher than the Aiithor — ■'■ the Spirit that giv- 
eth life," setting the letter of the Bible above 
the Lord, and have become afraid to be gov- 
erned and guided by Him. I suppose that after 
those who are 7iow led by the Spirit have gone 
home to God, by martyrdom or otherwise, who 
now are persecuted. If they don't hunt their 
'■'■Body,'" yet they'll want their portrait. 

The Jews were zealous of the law. Jesus 
broke one of its precepts, viz: the Sabbath. 
They said: "This man is not of God, because 
he keepeth not the Sabbath day." That loas 
true — as to the letter he did work on the Sab- 
bath, and said: " My Father worketh hitherto 
and I work. ' ' What did Jesus do on the Sab- 
bath day? This, viz: He put his hands on 
the woman in the synagogue that Satan had 
crooked over — "bound for eighteen years;" — 
And also he healed the man at the pool of Be- 
thesda, and then told him to break the Sabbath, 
that is, the letter: "Take up thy bed, and 
walk; and on the same day was the Sabbath." 
The Jews met and stopped him, and said, this 
man is not of God — is not a Christian, because 
he keepeth not the Sabbath day, that is, broke 
one of the commandments. James says, if w^e 
break one command we are ''guilty of alV^ 
But Jesus shows that he is not under that law, 
but that the law is under him and all of his 
disciples, — in this, viz: "Man was not made 
for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for 
man. The Son of Man is Lord (or ruler) of the 
Sabbath." He said also, that the priests in 
the temple profane the Sabbath and are blame- 
less. 

Abraham was told by the Lord himself to go 
and make a burnt offering — kill his son Isaac- 
contrary to the letter of that precept of the law, 
viz: ''■Thou shalt not kill.''^ But it was love to 
God ; love to Isaac, that prompted him — not 
hate — a delight to do the icill of God. 

Here lies the secret between sin and holiness, 
viz; this — Sin is doing anything for the devil. 
"He that committeth sin is of the devil;" he 



does it for the devil. And holiness is a7iy thing 
done /or the Lord by the direction of the Spirit, 
prompted \>j love — the motive to please God. 
If Abraham had been influenced by hate or ill 
will — angry feelings, snch a.s Cain, when he 
rose up and slew his brother Abel — then Abra- 
ham would have been a sinner — a murderer — 
although he did not do the deed. The motive 
and Spirit by which we are moved is what 
makes it pleasing or displeasing to God. A 
wish or desire which the Holy Ghost has put 
within us is all that God can be pleased with. 
Any other loish, desire, or lust, is from the de- 
vil ; hence Jesus defines what is adultery, viz : 
to " look on a woman, to lust after her/he hath 
committed adultery already with her in his 
heart.'' ^ This then is adxdtery, viz: The desire, 
motive, consented to, which the devil — not 
God — has inspired. And this is murder, viz: 
He that hateth another — any body — his broth- 
er, is a murderer. Here is the Bible, and the 
definitions of the wise commentator, who shows 
what the Bible is for, viz: "not to condemn 
the guiltless, but that the man of God may be 
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works. ' ' 

It would not have been murder had xlbraham 
carried out his purpose to take the life of his 
son Isaac, although he did not understand, as 
yet, what it was for ; and too, an open viola- 
tion of his affections, the common feelings of 
humanity, and of the moral precept, "Thou 
shalt not kill,^^ and also conflicting with his 
Reason. God had iriade him the promise 
through that son he should be the • ' father of 
many nations. " But he "accounted that God 
was able to raise him from the dead." He 
considered God a sovereign, having a perfect 
right to alter, suspend, or repeal any laio, even 
the moral law, so called — the letter. (But the 
spirit and design of all law is to secure obedi- 
ence to the loill of the law-giver. ) Hence the 
loill of God is the only law or rule for finite in- 
telligences — for angels or men. But what w^as 
his loill once may not "be now — circumstances 
being changed. A duty once required of Abra- 
ham may never have been required of any 
before or since, and never be again to the end 
of time. But every man or woman, or even an 
angel, must be ready, so far as their will is con- 
cerned, to do even that or any thing else God 
may require of them, although He may not let 
them knoio for what it is required. On the 
above principle is '■' adultery, ^^ althoug'h for- 
bidden by precept from the same literal code 
where murder, theft, lying and loork on the 
" Sabbath^' are forbidden, would not be adul- 
tery, if God should require it to be done as in 
the case of duty to which Abraham was called, 
viz., kill Isaac; or, in the case of Hagar, the 
mother of Ishmael, Sarah's maid; or, as in the 
case of the Sadducees, referred Jesus to in order 
to get an argument against the resurrection. 
(See Deut. xxv, 5-10.) Where the brother liv- 
ing in the same house was required to perform', 
the duty of the husband of his brother's wife 
who had died, and the offspring be called by 
his brother's name. And if he refused, she 
was to "unloose his shoe ?.nd spit in his face 



24 



NAZAKITE THEOLOGY. 



before the Elders, and he be thus disgraced in 
Israel as belonging to the house of him that 
had his shoe unloosed. ' ' See the case of this 
kind of "Onan." (See Gen. xxxviii, 8-10.) 
Where he shrank, and it displeased the Lord, 
and lie slew him. Then afterwards the widow 
dressed herself in disguise and caught the old 
man Judah by strategy, and when he found out 
the facts he said, "/S/ie hath been more righte- 
ous than J." Here Judah acted like some 
religious folks now-a-da^s — ready to condemn 
the guiltless. He was going to have his daugh- 
ter-in-law ^^ burnt to death ^' for playing the 
harlot. But when she presented his signet, 
bracelets and staff, which he had given her as a 
pledge, and that she had done the next best 
thing she could after he had failed to give her 
the son promised in the place of those the Lord 
slew. He said she was righteous — had not 
done wrong. Now here is a case of adultery 
on his part but not on hers, as God had made 
provision for her case and condition. And He 
sent her there to meet Judah. Dr. Fowler, in 
his work on Maternity — Address to Mothers, 
gives mention of a case where a man committed 
adidtery with his own wife. He made an 
agreement with a widow, and it was arranged 
or understood that he was to come in at a cer- 
tain window and depart »secretly. The widow 
informed his wife of the arrangement, and they 
agreed the wife should occupy the bed instead 
of the widow. Here is a case of adultery of a 
man with his own wife, because he did it for 
the devil, and under his satanic direction, 
prompted by unsanctifled passions. The mo- 
tive in the case was not to please God, and 
hence the wrong — the sin. The case of Lot's 
two daughters with their father was not adidt- 
ery, because their motive was offspring, to keep 
a seed alive in the earth, for they supposed every 
body destroyed but they two and their father 
— a motive to please God, yet kept concealed 
from their father. (See Gen. xix, 31-38.) The 
taking of God' s name in vain is only sin when 
it is prompted by the motives or spirit inspired 
by the devil and in unbelief. Lying also is not 
simply telling an untruth; but what is true may 
be said in such a manner that it would be a lie, 
while the intention or motive is to deceive. We 
come out at last to this important Bible truth, 
that they ' ' who are in the flesh cannot please 
God." " But ye are not in the flesh but in the 
spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwells in 
you." 

Jesus Christ was called to be the Messiah — 
to die as a sacrifice and representative for every 
man — tasting death for him. Not his good ex- 
ample but his death which brought life to man 
and put the devils in closer chains, "leading 
captives into captivity. Hell felt the shock 
when he arose a conquerer. He ascended upon 
high, and received gifts for men, and by his in- 
tercession secured and sent down the promise 
of the father on the day of Pentecost. The 
Holy Ghost imparted his gifts and came to take 
care of and guide the Church, imparting to 
each member some miraculous and adapted" gift 
"severally as he wilV The gift of tongues, 
the interpretation of tongues, the discerning of 



spirits, the gift of prophecy, the gift of faith, 
the laying on of hands for the healing of the 
sick, and the casting out of devils. Jesus had 
given some apostles, some prophets, some evan- 
gelists, some pastors and teachers for the per- 
fecting of the saints for the work of the minis- 
try, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till 
we all come in the unity of the faith unto the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto the measure 
of the stature of the fullness of Christ." The 
comforter has come to " show us things to come 
to bring all things to our remembrance, what- 
soever Jesus had spoken — to remove the veil so 
that we can understand both the Old and New 
Testament Scriptures. 



CHAPTER IV. 



TESTS — TKY THE SPIRITS — A TEST GIVEX. 



Many say you must " try the spirits," for we 
are commanded to. I ask, what does that mean ? 
Are we to try God and try the devils, and how ? 
Let us see, — examine this scripture which is 
found in I, John, iv, 1: "Beloved, believe not 
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they 
are of God, for many false prophets are gone 
out into the world." Now we are admonished 
to try these prophets, or teachers and preachers, 
whether they are of (not whether they are) God, 
but whether they are of God. How shall we try 
them ? The rule or criterion is here given, viz : 
"Every spirit (prophet or teacher) that con- 
fesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is 
of God, (not God, ) but is of God. And every 
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is 
come in the flesh is not of God, for this is that 
spirit of anti-Christ that should come into the 
world." 

A SHORT SERMON — ILLUSTRATION — ROCK OF 
THE CHURCH — CONFESSION 

THE TEST. I 

" Thou art Christ the son of the living God." 
— Matt, xvi, 13-19. "On this rock I will 
build my church, and the gates of hell shall 
not iDrevail against it." — Peter. "This rocky 
viz. : the confession (not Christ, the rock, nor 
Peter, but the confession of this offensive truth) 
that Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph and 
Mary, is the Christ — the Messiah of God, This 
is the rock. This was now become the offense 
of the cross — the test for all. " The Jews had 
agreed already that if any did confess him they 
should be put out of the synagogue— the church." 
Here was the test in that age and time which 
took their all — life and all. The blind man, 
whose eyes Jesus had cured, said, "A man 
that is called Jesus, made clay and anointed 
mine eyes — told me to go, wash in the pool of 
Siloam. I went and washed, and received 
sight. ' ' He had not seen Jesus yet — but had 
told his experience in answering the Jews' in- 
quiry. They then began to oppose him, and 
said, " Give God the praise, as for this man we 
know that he is a sinner, because he keepeth ' 
not the Sabbath day. ' ' But he began to exhort 
them, " Will ye also be his disciples? " They 



TESTS APPLIED NO^y. 



25 



said, "• Thou wast altogether born in sin, and 
dost thou teach us?" and they cast him out. 
Jesus found him in the temple and said, ' ' Dost 
thou believe on the Son of God? " The man 
said, "Who is he. Lord, that I might believe 
on him?" He seemed ready to do anything; 
take any reproach or believe anything, good or 
true; ready to tell his experience over again 
where it would be received, or where it might 
do good ; he gaining strength each time. If he 
had shrunk he would, perhaps, have lost his 
sight. Here was a trial of faith for this young 
convert — a test of obedience and fidelity to Je- 
sus and to the light he had, or it would have 
left him — been taken away. This confession 
^'before men,^^ standing firm against opposition, 
is the '■'■rock.^^ His parents were slinks and 
cowards — afraid of men — this was the rock on 
•which each member is built— on which it stands. 
'' The gates of hell shall not prevail against it," 
can not overcome, nor overthrow them— a house 
on the rock. Devils will threaten — strike with 
fear of consequences, like Peter, in fear, said, 
''I know not the man." Afraid of death, of 
prison, of persecution, '' But he that will save 
his life shall lose it; but he that will lose his life 
for my sake the same shall save it." Here- the 
devil is conquered, viz., by the consent of our 
will to do or suffer even the worst things he can 
present to frighten us. '' The gates of hell shall 
not prevail against it." 

Tests applied now.— A woman seeking a clean 
heart was afraid she would make a noise; but 
she could obtain no relief or further light until 
she consented to scream. This had now become 
the cross, — the conditions on which God was 
now offering this pearl of great price — the test 
of her will and obedience to God, and the only 
place or cross that could effectually kill and 
separate her from the world. She at last yield- 
ed and the spirit screamed her into the king- 
dom. 

Another. — A woman in Schuyler Co. was 
held to this one cross for about three weeks, 
viz., to stand up in the meeting and say, ''I 
am willing to be called a Nazarite— Reddy-ite— 
or anything else; and consent to be slain, or fall 
by the power of God." She was led to make 
the promise finally. At the next meeting she 
was tempted to be sorry that she had made it, 
and wished to get out. But she began to trem- 
ble from head to foot — the crisis had come. 
There was no release. She arose, spoke a few 
words, and fell backwards into the arms of a 
sister sitting behind her; then talked some, after 
a little. She said, afterwards, that it seemed as 
if ten thousand needles were all through her 
flesh. (This is the crucifying power of the 
Holy Ghost. ) She was never so happy in all 
her life; had a complete victory over every- 
thing and everybody. Here was the ' ' rock ' ' 
of the church on which it is yet — is now built — 
the test of her salvation. The devil tried to 
prevail by making her sorry, she was now 
pressed by circumstances and had bound her- 
self by promise. But this vow was what placed 
her feet upon the rock — God had her, and the 
gates of hell could not prevail. God himself 
chose the tests and not us; but we have to make 



the decision, "'He that shall endure unto the 
end, the same shall be saved." 

This was the test, then, by which these teach- 
ers, prophets, or preachers, could be detected, 
viz: the confession that Jesus Christ had come 
in the flesh. All that made this confession then 
exposed themselves by it to persecution and 
death — to martyrdom; hence it is said, "He 
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in tbe 
flesh is born of God.''^ There was no doubt lefl 
of the genuineness of their conversion when they 
made this confession in that day, in the face of 
such opposition and reproach. 

But those that feared or avoided that confes- 
sion, betrayed the spirit of anti-christ. God 
had made that the test, the issue with the 
devil; on this turned the victory over him and 
the Avorld. "Who is he that overcometh the 
world but he that confesseth that Jesus Christ 
is come in the flesh.'' ^ This one point distin- 
guished the children of God and the children of 
the devil — the dividing line in that day — the 
one, and almost the only article of faith, or 
creed to subscribe to — that which tested the 
disciples thoroughly, and thus made them one in 
Christ Jesus; one in spirit, soul, heart and 
aim. John said, " He that is of God heareth 
us, and he that is not of God heareth not us.' 

But suppose we attempt the detection or trial 
of spirits (preachers) now days by this criteri- 
on, or test, viz: That Jesus Christ is come in 
the flesh ; or that Jesus of Nazareth is the Mes- 
siah of God, how many false prophets or anti- 
christs would we find ? It costs nothing to make 
that profession now. It is not now God's test, 
or the rule by which even a Christian may be 
known ; the offence of the cross has ceased here, 
on this point, so that this part of the Bible — 
the New Testament even is out of date — is 
nearly obsolete., except we were among Jews, 
to whom this doctrine is yet an offence, and 
would yet expose us to persecution. It would 
not be heresy, even among Roman Catholics. 
Instead of miracles, and the gifts, and special 
guidance of the Holy Ghost being out of date, 
as many talk and seem to think, such persons 
should give up that notion — admit that signs 
and miracles are necessary, and adapted to all 
ages. If not just the same manifestation as 
found on record, yet we are to look for some 
manifestation, supernatural from God, to meet 
the demands of the human mind ; while we 
readily relinquish this part of the New Testa- 
ment test, as but little use or application now, 
because it costs so little now. Once it was the 
'■^rock''^ on which Christ built his church — the 
test of believers; but the tests are to be looked 
for on other points now, which takes our all — 
which separates us from the world. 

God has had tests in all ages of the church. ' 
Not the same in every age. In Daniel's day, 
or the test brought on for him, although devi- 
sed by envy, nevertheless it was God's test, 
viz: Praying to God was the offence. The con- 
sequences to which it exposed him, was. to be 
cast into the den among hungry lions, but he 
stood this test unharmed. 

The fellow captives of Daniel, Shadrach, Me- 
shach and Abednego, had another test. Who 

(4) 



26 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



dare say that God was not in it? Yea, it was 
God that brought it. The test was this, viz: 
To stand up in a religious meeting, while ail 
were commanded by the sovereign — the king — 
to bow down to the idol — " image," that Nebu- 
chadnezzar had set up. The penalty annexed 
to disobedience to the "powers that be" was 
to be put into the fiery furnace, to be heated 
one seven times hotter than it was wont to be 
heated, because of the kings rage. 

But these children of God, no doubt, said 
within themselves, "Do your utmost, loe are 
not careful, King, about this matter; our 
God he will deliver us; but if Be don't we will 
not how down to the image thou hast set up." 
Here was a test, for them, and the destiny of the 
whole nation, religiously, depended on their 
disobedience here, and their loyalty to God. 

But they did not know certainly how it 
would come out, but God's honor was concern- 
ed, their own peace and safety, and the destiny 
of others depended upon the decision of their 
will, and not upon the amount of religious feel- 
ing had at the time. They were pressed into a 
sort of business transaction, where it required 
a sanctified recklessness — a. will that could not 
and would not go back or turn aside. The mar- 
tyrs had some such tests when five sentences 
would have appeased the wrath of their ene- 
mies, and secured their release — just do it for 
the devil. 

But God has now some tests, and He, in his 
love to us and others concerned, chooses, in his 
wisdom, adapted tests to call forth into action, 
and to our discovery, what is in us — to cure 
and make us conquerors, and when we meet 
these tests they take us by surprise ; we do not 
always readily believe that God has chosen 
them, and hence are tempted to find fault, and 
lay the blame to others or to ourselves; so it 
takes all the patience we have, and faith too : 
it seems like taking "life and friends away,'* 
and every dependence but God. Like the 
Catholic woman who had lost her beads, had 
nothing to depend on but God — that's all. 

REPROACH A COMMON TEST. 

Reproach is the common test, and if we have 
any reputation to take care of, either for our- 
selves, for the cause of God, or of his people, 
even the church, God will, in some way or 
another, bring reproach. God will have a 
peculiar people; hence he has to lead them in 
some way which will certainly bring reproach 
upon them. And when we attempt to get away 
from, and shun those crosses or associations 
which will expose us to censure, and to be mis- 
understood, we are surely shunning God and 
his mode of saving and preserving us and oth- 
ers. He wants to get us into this net in order 
to smut us, so that he can keep us ' ' unspotted 
from the world. ' ' 

Moses "esteemed the reproach of Christ 
greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." 
The apostles " rejoiced that they were counted 
worthy to suffer shame for his name." Peter 
said, "If ye be reproached for the name of 
Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and 
of God resteth upon you." 



John Wesley said, '^Contempt, then, is a part 
of the cross that every one bears who becomes 
a Christian; The badge of his discipleship ; 
The stamp of his profession ; The constant seal 
of his calling. ' ' [See Wesley' s Journal, vol. iii. 
page 125. Also, in the Earnest Ohistian, No- 
vember number, 1861, under the heading " JKe- 
putation.^'] 

But where, or what is the test by which God 
tries his people now days? Well, here is one, 
viz: the consent to be called a Nazarite, and 
take and share the reproach of it. One woman 
seeking holiness, was held by the Spirit about 
four weeks, as she said, to this one point, as the 
last condition, viz: to go with this despised 
people, and be called a Nazarite. And when 
she came to God's terms, he sanctified her, soul, 
body and spirit, in her bed, about two o'clock 
in the morning. She had the witness of the 
Spirit by consenting to the conditions, the test 
presented. But it costs a greater sacrifice now, 
and involves a person in much greater reproach 
than it did seven or eight years ago — a greater 
death. It may be the Lord is obliged to lead 
some of His people in ways now, because of the 
unbelief of others, seeming to them extravagant 
— into some things and ways to conquer this un- 
belief and these devils, that has got such ad- 
vantage of other minds, for, "Where sin abounds 
grace did much more abound." which was not 
necessary once for Him to lead them. 

One sister in Lockport who enjoyed the bless- 
ing of holiness — she was blest much under the 
sermon; in the meeting she screamed, crowded 
her handkerchief into her mouth; after doing 
so a few times, she found she had grieved the 
Spirit, and had lost the treasure — the blessing. 
Here was the test, on which alone it could be 
retained. 

One sister, the wife of a preacher, said, "Avhen 
they were in England preaching the gospel, her 
husband was taken very sick, the more part 
thought he would die. The Lord," she said, 
' ' told her to go to a certain meeting, about six 
miles distant, on foot, and lay her hands on the 
preacher' s head while he prayed, and her hus- 
band would — should live. ' ' She went and obey- 
ed the Lord, and he recovered and is now 
preaching the Gospel. ' ' Here was a trial, or 
test of her faith and obedience. ' ' She expected 
to be imprisoned, but God took care of that. 

The case of Abraham is in point, it is said : 
"And it came to pass that God did tempt (test) 
Abraham ; he was told to go and offer up his 
son Isaac for a burned sacrifice. He kept it an 
entire secret. But just as he was about to strike 
the fatal blow, the angel of the Lord said : 
"Abraham stay thy hand for now I know that 
thou fearest me, seeing thou hast not withheld 
from me thy son, thine only son Isaac. ' ' Here 
Abraham saw the day of Christ, " and was 
glad. ' ' He had an experience now, a discovery 
which he never could have had if God had not 
chosen such a test of his faith and obedience. 
Paul said : " They that be of faith are blest with 
and are children of faithful Abraham. " ^^^ Obe- 
dience is better than sacrifice." This is all 
that is required of angels or of men. But where 
the will is not entirely subdued and cheerfully 



THE JERKS god's WAY TO CONFOUND THE DEVIL. 



27 



submitted to God, there will be more or less un- 
belief, which will be seen finding fault and 
choosing to pass by these tests, even of associ- 
ation with those that are reproached for the 
name of Christ. We don't wish to expose our- 
selves too much to disgrace. 

We are not to infer from the extraordinary 
manifestations at the present day, and what 
seems to some efctravagant manifestations, that 
this is another age, or dispensation of the Spirit, 
because some things transpire that we have no 
history of, or precedent in the Bible. 

The Holy Ghost adapts \As, plans to the times, 
to the persons, and to the evils to be removed, 
rather than to follow some one used heretofore, 
which is now written in the Bible. The Holy 
Spirit is not dependent on the Bible for a copy, 
or plan to work as we are sometimes when His 
light, and mode of guiding us is obscured from 
our apprehension by our unbelief, caused mostly 
by the indecision of our will. 

Many things have transpired in and with the 
church, since the history given by the apostles, 
quite different from what is described specific- 
ally in the Bible. 

The jerks,' a strange exercise which ap- 
peared at the first camp-meetings held in 
Kentucky, among the Baptists and Presby- 
terians, and soon joined by the Methodists, is 
not mentioned in the Bible. J. B. Finley, says, 
that young men would be seized by the jerks 
while under a warm song or exhortation, and 
when they would resist would be jerked off their 
horses and used violently, except they yielded, 
then it would abate. Young women would be 
humbled and mortified when taken with the 
jerks — the two or three first jerks their combs 
and bonnets would fly, their hair fly, and they 
bent over backwards, then forwards almost to 
the ground, the hair crack like a whip; oth- 
ers, when they came to, would praise God, 
who had converted their souls; others would 
get hold of trees, and laugh and dance. At 
one camp-ground they cut off the small trees 
breast high, so that persons taken with the jerks 
could hold on to them. One wicked man lay 
about thirty hours, who h^ tried to ride his 
horse into a praying circle; and one swearing 
drunkard broke his neck while trying to drink 
of his bottle. 

Some of the ministers became afrafd it was 
the devil, but the good done in the salvation of 
so many hard cases of proud men and women, 
they dare not lay it to the devil. But some 
split it, and thought a part of it must be of 
the devil, because they could get no Bible for 
it, or a precedent in history for such a strange 
thing. And then, too, it was so unlike God or 
his work, according to their views of him, that 
he would work such extravagance. It was a 
little more than some of them could or would 
believe or admit, so they became afraid of the 
ivild camp-meeting and withdrew from it en- 
tirely, and afterwards aided in expelling some 
of those Ministers from the church, who be- 
lieved and therfore acted accordingly, that the 
whole camp-meeting, with its strange and ex- 
travagant manifestations, was the loorfc of God, 
the whole of it. 



This was the commencement of camp-meet- 
ings in this country, where thousands were con- 
verted to God. About five hundred were seen 
swept down at once like a forest before the wind. 
Seven preachers were seen, all at the same lime, 
preaching. Some on stumps or logs; one stood 
on a lodged tree. Some were heard singing, 
some praying, some shouting for the joy of 
deliverance from sin, while others were groan- 
ing and crying piteously for deliverance from 
the power of the devil. 

There are manifestations of the Spirit now 
that are equally, if not more puzzling to the 
mind of some preachers, and others, of a lim- 
ited experience, in the demonstrations of the 
Spirit upon the body and otherwise, who can 
not or will not believe it is the work of God. 
Some ways in which the spirit leads God's peo- 
ple of late is questioned, it may be by them- 
selves, for the time being, but God soon clears 
it up as the will consents thus to be crucified. 
They are tempted some — most always after be- 
ing led by the Spirit, especially in any new- 
path or way we have never been in before. But 
soon they get victory if they continue to obey. 
But some have faltered after stepping a little 
and become afraid of the old critter called 
"Fanaticism" especially, as they are taught 
that those nearest to God, or that enjoy the 
most religion, are in the greatest danger — that 
suddenly they will make a mistake, and be 
transferred into his clutches. Not that the 
spirit will guide wrong, but that the devil will 
take them or push them over the mark, as 
they say he has some, and brought "scandal pn 
the innocent cause of religion." 

Now, the truth is, God has been leading and 
guiding them all the time, and into some things, 
and in some ways, in which he would not have 
led them but for the unbelief of others, and the 
division which the devil had caused by this un- 
belief, for he is the author of all the unbelief 
and division — the origin and agent. 

It was this bad spirit that found a harbour 
among the early disciples, viz : Unbelief first, 
then jealousy that led them to complain, and 
say that their widows were neglected in the 
daily ministration. It was this bad Spirit that 
caused the death — the martyrdom of Stephen, 
and also the dispersion of the disciples from the 
city of all but the Apostles. 

It was this bad spirit that led Judas Iscariot 
to find fault with Mary for wasting the oint- 
ment. " It might have been sold for three hun- 
dred pence and been given to the poor." And 
then his being rebuked by the Lord, disturbed 
the devil in him, who led him to betray the 
master, and thus conduct the mob where Jesus 
and the disciples were praying. 

The devil can't do much harm to a meeting 
until he can get some one of its members tried 
with something or with somebody; if with no- 
body else, get them tried because the rowdies 
act so bad when it is partly because they are 
tempted and yield, that gives the devil such 
advantage of others in the meeting and out too. 

Now, if such persons would just make this 
vow that God led me to make, after being re- 
stored to the blessing of '• holiness," viz., this, 



28 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



"I will not find fault, but let and help each 
one to follow their own convictions of what the 
Lord wants of them, and do my own duty, re- 
gardless of what others may think or say." 
"With this spirit of obedience and union, God 
would carry on his work gloriously. 

This bad spirit struck some of the preachers 
at one of the Bergen camp-meetings with fear 
that something might be done, or some exer- 
cises witnessed which would bring greater re- 
proach on the meeting, by which fear and un- 
belief they became tried with the women on the 
day they occupied the stand. Some found 
fault ,with the whole affair. Others thought 
some part of it was not of God, so that this un- 
belief and division grieved the Spirit, and he 
raised up a standard against this enemy. And 
to expose and rout this foe before the camp- 
meeting closed, eight or ten of the women were 
set dancing on the ground. God intended to 
kill or cure these unbelievers in regard to God's 
control of the whole camp, consequently ^ 
greater reproach was the result, for it was seen 
in the Rochester paper that the women "danced 
after the tune of Yankee-doodle," which was 
was not quite true. This was to humble and 
check this bad spirit of disunion among the 
people of God. Yet some still in unbelief said 
they were led by the devil — that they were 
" pushed over the mark." Thus the work and 
designs of the Holy Ghost were not only mis- 
understood, but He was thus ^'Blasphemed.'' 
Then came confusion, then more divisions be- 
came more decided in its opposition to these 
exercises, and next "-organization," The Free 
Methodists, in order to regulate the Holy Ghost 
and keep him from bringing upon these meetings 
any more disgrace by these leadings, and yet 
saying "I believe they are sincere, but they 
are deceived." But God, the real Holy Ghost, 
had not done with the education — the disci- 
pline of this pilgrim army yet. He intended a 
cure of this division and grumbling, and to 
have Q. pure church again — have "faith on the 
earth." But like Gideon's army of thirty-two 
thousand at first (too many to agree,) Gideon 
was directed to say to all that chose, ' ' go 
home." And twenty- two thousand left. But 
the Lord said to Gideon, " There is too many 
yet. Go down to the brook and I will show 
you who can go." So the " Water lappers" 
only three hundred in number, were all that 
God could risk to go and put this Midianite 
army to flight, lest they should say ' ' our num- 
bers have gotten us our victory." God in- 
tended to have an army agree and under his 
control from c/ioice. So with this "Pilgrim" 
army. They were too many to agree, so they 
had to be tested and scattered. Soon God ap- 
pointed a camp-meeting for this purpose, in 
the town of Shelby, in Orleans County, in West- 
ern New York, in the fall of 1861, and "He 
appointed and directed specially '^ Lapping" 
water — The " Washing feet " — The " greeting 
with a holy kiss," and at the close, He directed 
a brother — since gone to his reward — to make a 
christian '■'■ feast," or dinner, on the ground, at 
his own expense. (A fat beef, &c.) "When 
thou makest a feast, call not thy rich neighbors 



nor thy kinsfolks, lest a recompense be made 

thee. But call hither the lame — the poor — the 
blind — for they cannot recompense thee, but 
thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of 
the just." Then the fragments that remained 
(and they were not small,) were sent to those 
most needy in the neighborhood. Still further 
was the Spirit of the early christians seen here, 
viz: in having -'all things common." In pre- 
senting the only horse and carriage of a brother 
to a preacher and his wife, who had none, and 
he went home as he could. Then, after this, 
two christian weddings were witnessed, being 
specially planned and directed by the " Holy 
Ghost." This resemblance and similarity to 
the early church was so striking that it almost 
seems that God intended, at this camp-meeting, 
to bring his church up to '^ Pentecost," and 
then let them look beyond and get a discovery 
of things still more wonderful and "miracu- 
lous ' ' than the church witnessed even in the 
apostolic age. And had it not been for some 
difference in views, and especially for some of 
the devil's cavilery, (the Ministers thrown in to 
break the ranks,) opposing the simplicity and 
the observance of those innocent customs which 
characterized and distinguished christians from 
all others, viz: "By this shall all men know 
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one 
to another." " That ye love one another 
as I have loved you," I think God would have 
triumphed. This camp-meeting in Shelby, 
small as it was, has done more to develope the 
unbelief and native opposition in the heart and 
in the churches in Western New York to the 
pure religion of Jesus Christ, and to the means 
and ways the '• Holy Ghost" now uses to hum- 
ble and save — to get a peculiar people in this 
age, than anything that was ever known. The 
most common term of reproach to designate 
and to render it odious, has been this, viz: 
'^ Boiling in the mud." One minister having 
got his toe under a root, and dare not go 
further lest he should blood his nose, coidd not 
enter in because of unbelief, said, ' " If anybody 
should say he had the cross to 'greet' his 
wife with a "holy kiss," that Tie should have 
the cross on him to give him a ' ' holy knock, " 
making the motion at the same time in the ser- 
mon. So little "faith" is there now in the 
Bible as adapted to the present generation, thus 
rejecting one of its plain precepts, and regard- ^ 
ing it as they would an old Almanac, which 
could once be depended on as true and adapted 
but now esteemed in some of these precepts and 
promises as a matter of record. 



CHAPTER y. 



A SERMON ON MIRACLES. 



•' Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to 
the saints." — Jtjde, verse 4. 

If you speak of healing the sick, of casting 
out devils, or of any other manifestation of di- 
vine power in overthrowing the works of the 
devil, you will be told that the day of miracles 
is past; that they were only introduced to es- 



A SERMON ON MIRACLES. 



29 



tablish the truths of the Gospel, and to jprove 
its divine origin, and when that was done, viz., 
in the apostolic age, then it was withdrawn as 
being no longer necessary. And secondly, we 
are taught that the miracle working power was 
only given to the twelve Apostles. And thirdly, 
and as a consequence of the above, that mirac- 
ulous signs and healing ceased at the end of the 
apostolic age. Now this is called preaching the 
Gospel. These statements have been made 
from the pulpit again and again^ by high and 
low, with all the gravity of a D. D., — t. e. of 
Divine authority; and as if they were true, and 
had an undisputed sanction from the Bible it- 
self, and no one would dare call it in question 
or doubt it, but infidels. But when we look 
into the Bible for ourselves, and then examine 
ecclesiastical historians and commentators, we 
are obliged to reject this commonly received 
idea as/aZse— yea, as infidelity to God and the 
Bible too, and a want of that martyr spirit, 
viz : a willingness to go to prison or to death, 
as was, and is still, necessary to maintain that 
^^ faith once delivered to the saints." I am 
obliged to state and maintain the three follow- 
ing propositions, viz: first, miracles were not 
introduced merely to establish the truths of the 
Gospel, or peculiar to the Gospel, but are es- 
sential to God's religion always, in every age. 
Secondly, the miraculous gifts and signs were 
not given exclusively to the twelve Apostles, 
but they were given to the whole church — men 
and women — as the body of Christ. And 
thirdly, the miraculous giHs and special guid- 
ance of the Holy Ghost was not withdrawn, 
nor ceased at the end of the apostolic age. as is 
held by most of the churches now, but did con- 
tinue for more than three hundred years, and 
does still, even now with them that " _BeZieve 
in My Name, they shall cast out devils," etc. 
First, their miraculous gifts and guidance of 
the Holy Ghost were not peculiar to the Gos- 
pel but are essential to God's religion in all 
ages. It was shown first with Moses and Aaron 
before Pharaoh in Egypt — in the signs and 
wonders wrought — was seen at the Red Sea — 
at the waters of Horeb, that followed them 
near forty years — seen in the descent of manna 
for food— all through their journey, and their 
crossing Jordan — in the falling walls ot Jericho 
by "faith at the shout and blast of rams- 
horns." The miracle was seen in the transla- 
tion of Enoch and Elijah— in the raising of the 
dead of two persons by the two prophets, Eli- 
jah and Elisha — it was shown with Daniel in 
the den of lions— with his fellow captives in 
the fiery furnace, not a smell of fire was upon 
them. It was seen in the rain shut up three 
and one-half years— in the sun standing still — 
in Sarah's hearing her first horn at the age of 
ninety years — it was seen with Gideon' s fleece, 
etc., (see these miracles referred to by Paul, in 
the eleventh chapter of Hebrews,) all hj faith. 
The conditions on which Abraham was con- 
verted was the belief in this miraculous power 
— the promise of a son. And every person truly 
converted to God is received on the belief that 
^'All things are possible with God now, and he 
that believeth laughs at impossibilities.^'' No 



limits to God. This is what distinguishes those 
^^ least in the kingdom greater than John the 
Baptist," or any mere nominal Christians, for 
" John did no miracles." The spirit is given 
to every man. Secondly, this miraculous gift 
and power icas not exclusively bestowed on the 
Apostles, but upon all men and women, as the 
church constituting the body of Christ. Philip 
and Stephen, who were "-deacons,^' (not apos- 
tles, ) wrought wonders — miracles — signs among 
the people, "Hearing and seeing the miracles 
which he (Philip) did, for unclean spirits came 
out of many — many taken with palsies and that 
were lamed were healed." (See Acts viii, 6-7 ; 
see also vi, 8.) ''And Stephen, full of faith 
and power, did great wonders and miracles 
among the people." The prophecy of Joel 
shows that the gifts — miraculous tongues, pro- 
phesying, etc., — belonged to the whole church; 
that there is neither male nor female in Christ 
Jesus. "On my servants and on my hand- 
maidens I will pour out my spirit in those days 
and they shall prophesy." "The Holy Ghost 
came down and there appeared unto them 
cloven tongues as of fire, and it sat upon each 
of them,' ^ — about a hundred and twenty men 
and women. Peter said it fulfilled the words 
of Joel. (See Acts ii, 16-17. ' ' Philip had four 
daughters that prophesied (see Acts xxi, 9,) 
once more Annanias, not a preacher, was 
sent to Saul to lay his hands on him that he 
might receive sight and be filled with the Holy 
Ghost, and the gift came upon him whom God 
had called to be the apostle to the Gentiles, by 
the imposition of a layman's hands. (See Acts 
ix, 17.)* Mark and Luke were not of the 
twelve. But thirdly, the third and last part of 
this argiiment is that the miraculous gifts and 
special guidance of the Holy Ghost was not with- 
drawn, nor ceased at the end of the apostolic age, 
as being no longer necessary, because the Gospel 
was now established. It is a little strange that 
ministers dare hazard their reputation for truth 
when most, if not all, have read ecclesiastical 
historians and commentators, who, without ex- 
ception, I believe, state that the miracle work- 
ing power continued for more than three hun- 
dred years, into the fourth century — until the 
Emperor of Rome, Constantine, embraced 
Christianity, he stopped the persecution against 
the church, or against God. in that form— he soon 
made some of the officers of state from the minis- 
try, then corruption soon crept in, and gradu- 
ally the light waned and the spirit was soon 
grieved, and his manifestations became less fre- 
quent. Then the devil soon got those gifts 
nearly buried out of sight of the heads of the 
church, and he has tried to keep them out of 
sight, and prevent any one from claiming or 
exercising them. Satan has invented and pub- 
lished the lie, that we must not look for mira- 
cles now, and if any one preaches the doctrine 



* Luke, who wrote the book of Luke and the Acts 
of the Apostles, was not himself an Apostle. Mark 
also was not an Apostle, yet none who credit the in- 
spiration of the Bible question the inspiration of 
these books. Here are five persons, viz : Mark, Luke, 
Annanias, as well as Stephen and Philip, none of 
these belonged to the twelve. And Philip's four 
daughters that prophesied. 



30 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



they are branded as Mormons, or Spiritualists, 
or fanatics, — and would be charged as heretics 
by most of the churches now — or else regarded 
as insane on the subject of religion, and not 
worthy the confidence of respectable society. 
Now instead of those gifts being withdrawn at 
the end of twenty-five or thirty years, they 
were continued for at least five or six genera- 
tions after the apostolic age. * 

And now we come back to see what Jesus 
has said on this all-important subject. We will 
point to two or three instances where this sub- 
ject is treated. First, then, '' The comforter 
which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will 
send in my name. He shall guide you into all 
truth. He shall bring all things to your re- 
membrance whatsoever I have said unto you. 
I will give you another comforter, and he shall 
abide with you forever." 

And this means every Christian, for ' 'As many 
as are led by the Spirit of God they are the 
sons of God," and no one is except these. 
Again, Jesus said, " Verily I say unto you, he 
that believeth on me, the works that I do shall 
he do also — and greater works than these shall 
he do, because I go to the Father." Now this 
work is to be done by those that '^believe in 
me.'" Again, in the last chapter of Mark: 
"And these signs shall follow them that he- 
lievey "In my name they shall cast out 
devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 
they shall take up serpents, and if they drink 
any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they 
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re- 
cover.^' " Is any sick among you, let him call 
for the elders of the church and let them pray 
over him, annointing him with oil in the name 
of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the 
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he 
have committed sins they shall be forgiven him. ' ' 

Here then is the doctrine of the Bible, and 
promises on this subject, with not a single text 
in the whole New Testament on the other side, 
even to intimate that we should not expect it. 
When the disciples failed in casting out a devil, 
and did not know the cause of their failure, 
Jesus said "because of your unheliej.'' ^ But 
we are met with this question, namely, " Where 
are the miracles done now days? "— " Show us 
anybody healed miraculously." Well, I shall 
no t do that now, but I am a witness of the fact 
that a few are healed by those who have the 
gift, out of the many that would be healed were 
it not for the unbelief Some in a few minutes, 
others in a few hours, and others "began to 
amend from that very hour. " I have known 
but two or three cases where the Spirit directed 
the use of oil. Some particular cases, that 
were healed. One child, near Franklinville, 
given up for four days, by the doctors, to die of 
inflamation on the brain and lungs, was healed 
by the laying on of hands. One case, in Wayne 
county, a woman in deep distress, was well in 

* Three hundred years divided by foyty would be 
seven and a half generations ; but allow fifty years 
even to each generation, and you have five genera- 
tions after the apostolic age [of fifty years] of the 
Christian eia, miracles were wrought some in the 
fourth century. • 



twenty minutes, out in the room, clapping her 
hands for joy. Two cases in Cayuga Co., one 
of a boy of six years old, sick with diptheria, 
thought to be dying in the daytime, was healed 
and sat with his parents at the dinner-table the 
next day. The other, of a young woman 
twenty-two years old, sick in the same house. 
She was thought to be dying the day before ; 
she was healed and out in her father' s kitchen 
the second day. One woman, carried twenty- 
two miles on a bed, was healed, jumped from 
her bed a well woman. These are only a few 
of the many within the last six years. One 
person, deaf in one ear, from a child, was re- 
stored without the knowledge of the brother 
whose hands were thus used by the Holy Ghost, 
for what purpose or end it was required. Oth- 
ers have been healed of diseases of a different 
and of a more delicate nature, and by means 
and plans peculiar to Jesus, the great and skil- 
ful physician, and the Holy Ghost, the only 
efficient agent in the cure of soul or body. 
Yes, miracles are wrought now with or by plans 
which God adapts to the several cases and cir- 
cumstances, and I see that God is not, as some 
think, obliged to work a work of healing just 
as he has done, or as is recorded in former 
cases, for God is not wanting in wisdom nor 
ability to heal now, those that are oppressed of 
the devil, (for every species of disease is of the 
devil, body as well as mind. ) Hence it is that 
doctors cannot reach and cure some diseases; 
they get no "better, but rather grow worse." 
Like the woman that touched the clothes of 
Jesus, she had spent all her living on physicians 
for twelve years. There are many sufferers of 
this kind now, that if they were not afraid to 
ask and trust God that made them, he would 
soon lay some wise yet simple plan for their 
relief, as he has in some cases I have known 
and witnessed to his praise and glory. I see 
that God would not work a miracle now after 
any pattern or example set. Jesus did not 
copy anything which was found in the old 
Scriptures, and the apostles did not always 
pursue the same course. Paul said to the crip- 
ple at Lystra, with a loud voice, "Stand upright 
on thy feet," and he leaped and walked. Peter 
took the lame man at the gate of the Temple 
"by the hand and lifted him up.''^ Some 
Jesus touched, others he told what to do, or 
spoke, and they were made whole. The Apos- 
tles kneeled down and prayed and laid their 
hands on the sick, except they carried a hand- 
kerchief or an apron to the sick, or the shadow 
of Peter might overshadow some of them. It 
was the light of that faith which came by Jesus 
Christ, which destroys the works of the devil. 
I praise God that its light has struck the earth 
again, and some there are who are not ashamed 
nor afraid to preach this doctrine and follow 
the leadings of the Spirit of God, even to heal 
and relieve the afflicted and endure reproach 
for the name of Christ, while he fills the heart 
with such love to the sufferers that makes the 
most menial service pleasant for their good. 
Yes, it is by the power of love — God within. 
He makes us love the sufferers — such a desire 
to relieve them. 



PRIDE AND LEGISLATION AGAINST GOD. 



31 



It was this love for souls that led persons 
among the Banters of England, while praying 
for their conversion, to get their hands on them 
and their arms around them, so deeply were 
they in "travail," and burdened for their de- 
liverance. Some of the members, and some 
Ministers too, got tried with their apparent 
*■'• fondness,^ ^ and soon they were called " Fond- 
lings 'j^' but this epithet of reproach did not 
stop them in their labor of love. God was 
leading them to lay their hands on them while 
praying for them. The Preachers at last, not 
believing it to be God inspiring this gift and 
this deep love — the Imposition of hands again 
in the church; they at last, in conference, 
passed a resolution '■'that no man should lay 
his hands on a looman in meeting." Here the 
devil got them to legislate for him, and against 
the Holy Ghost. In their ignorance and inex- 
perience they laid their hands on this work of 
God, and like Uzzah, who put out his hand to 
steady the ark when it jostled, and was smitten 
with death. So it is with every one who at- 
tempts to regulate the work or people of God — 
concerned, of course, for the honor of God and 
his cause. Yet, if they meddle with what they 
don' t understand, they are smitten with spirit- 
ual blindness and death from that moment. 
Many do not know what has caused it, or will 
not believe it is that which has grieved the 
Lord. 

No person should even touch, by word or 
action, the testimony, unless God specially 
directs, and there will be great danger of mov- 
ing for the devil, for he is always disturbed by 
what God leads his children to do or say. This 
war is aggressive. God intends to do some- 
thing to disturb the devil and arrest the atten- 
tion of those enslaved by him — something of 
an extraordinary character, to arrest and gain 
a hearing. The prophet Ezekiel was sent to 
make demonstrations before the Jewish people 
as a preface or introduction to his denouncing 
the judgments of God. (See the 6th and 21st 
Chap's Ezek. ) He was commanded to cry and 
howl — stamp with his foot — to smite his two 
hands together, and to sigh, even to the break- 
ing of his loins, to gain the attention first 
by these, and then declare the judgments of 
God against that disobedient people. If such 
strange actions must be performed to gain the 
attention, to hear of judgments and punish- 
ments, may we not expect some singular move 
of the Spirit to wake up the mind of those who 
are to have the offer of salvation? Hence is 
seen, in some of our religious meetings, the 
manifestation of power prostrating the body — 
screams and hoots. 

MIRACULOUS SIGNS. 

Like the '' rams-horns by which the walls of 
Jericho were blasted down," they were unlike 
anything and everything else; they were neither 
round, or straight, or smooth, or a true circle, 
or a true taper. So it is with these spiritual 
trumpets; there is no account of their exist- 
ence until within twelve years or less — may be 
more. Women are screamed, men and women, 
too, are laughed, apparently, almost to death — 



some were made to cackle like a fowl, and others 
to squeal like a pig ; some were made to cry, 
others were made to groan; some hark like a 
dog, loud and coarse; some females hark like a 
whiffet dog; some roar like a lion ; others yell like 
a loon ; others howl like a wolf or dog. All these 
I have witnessed at various times and circum- 
stances. At one sister's scream, while under a 
burden for the leader of the camp-meeting, tlie 
m'du fell instantly, she having her eyes closedj 
and he some distance away. Under the Holy 
Ghost laugh and 7'oar at a camp-meeting, three 
persons fell instantly, two men and one woman. 
Under the laugh of one sister thus sanctified 
at a meeting, a local preacher was struck 
under conviction for a clean heai-t, although at 
the time he thought it was the devil that made 
her laugh to disturb the meeting. But when 
he was sanctified, in his granary, while alone, it 
came with that laugh which he had so despised, 
in the instrument in his conviction and subse- 
quent salvation. These roars, and screams, 
and hoots, and laughs, were once quite plenti- 
fully diffused and in frequent use in the meet- 
ings of these pilgrims in Western New York, 
when the people were free to obey God — the 
leadings of the Spirit — and were untrammeled 
by the had teaching and the /ear of fanaticism. 
But some have become ashamed or afraid to be 
exercised with these supernatural gifts of the 
Spirit, hecause of reproach; consequently they 
are not clear in themselves nor strong to labor 
for others, and after a little find it difficult to 
" believe," while some others are almost ready 
to attribute these manifestations to the devil, 
because they disturb the backsliders and those 
not free in the Lord. " Yet they are a pecu- 
liar people, jealous of good works, but most 
everywhere spoken against." 

HEAVENWARD TRAVELER. 

What poor despised company 

Of Nazarites are these, 
Who walk in yonder narrow way, 
Along that rugged maze. v 

Along that rugged maze, 

Along that rugged maze, 
Who walk in yonder narrow way, 
Along that rugged maze ? 

Ah, these are of a royal line. 

All children of a king. 
Heirs of those palms and crowns divine, 

And lo! for joy they sing, 

And lol'for joy they sing, &c. 

Why do they then appear so mean,' 

And why so much despised '? 
Because* of their rich robes unseen. 

The world is not apprised. 

The world is not apprised, &c. 

But some of them seem poor, distressed, 

And lacking daily bread. 
Ah, they're of boundless wealth possessed. 

With hidden manna fed. 

With hidden manna fed, &c. 

Why keep they on that narrow road. 

That rough and thorny maze ? 
Why that's the road their leader trod— 

They love and keep his ways. 

They love and keep his ways, &c. 

Why must they shun that pleasant path 

That worldlings love so well ? 
Because it is the road to death, 

The open road to hell. 

The open road to hell, &c. 



32 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



What ! is there then no other road 

To Salem's happy gi-ound? 
Christ is the only way to God, 

None other can be found. 

None other can be found, &c. 

Nevertheless they believe in the living God 
and simplicity of faith, inquire — 

" Is not thy grace as mighty now 

As when Elijah felt its power? — 
When glory beamed on Moses' brow, 

Or Job endm-ed the trying hour ? 
Where is that iSpii-it, Lord, which dwelt 

In Abram's breast and sealed him thine — 
Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt 

And glow with energy divine ? " 

These are supernatural gifts — miraculous 
gifts — ''signs" of God's work within them. 
I never knew any person exercised with one of 
these gifts except one sanctified to God, and 
then even they have in most, if not in all, cases 
been specially convicted for the gift. In some 
cases the light has been so great and clear — the 
demand of the spirit such, that it seemed like 
an impossibility, but when the will consented 
to be led into a seeming impossibility — in a way 
heretofore unknown— then the "Holy Ghost" 
has imparted the gift to "every man" and 
woman, ' ' severally as he will. ' ' I have known 
a tiew that had two or three of these gifts 
manifested in the same person. For instance : 
a scream and a hoot; one sister had both these. 
x\nother a hoot, laugh and &arfc — in this case, 
like a little dog. Another case, a man had a 
yell — loud, a laugh and a hoot. In another, a 
roar like a lion, and a laugh. But in the most 
cases, only one of these supernatural gifts were 
manifested in the same person. One brother 
said, " When I consent to let the Lord use me 
as he wants to in the exercise of my trumpet 
in this direction, then everything else goes 
right, and I am free; but it is a great cross 
thus to be led, and I think if I should be led 
as the Lord wants to lead me, that I should 
be out of jail long, but when I consent, then 
vaj faith is perfect, no doubt.'' ^ In the second 
chapter of Hebrews, it is said, " God also bear- 
ing them witness both with signs and won- 
ders, and divine miracles, and gifts of the 
Holy Ghost according to his will." Now 
these are the signs and wonders adapted to the 
present age, and times. This is God's method 
now to row^, and destroy the "works" of the 
devil, and devils are hit and cast out by these 
gifts of the " Holy Ghost," when God can get 
us dead and alive in him — no reputation to take 
care of — no selfish ends to seek and our will 
consenting to be used any way to please God 
and save a soul, then we shall be free and 
others blest where we are sent. It is this bless- 
ing that has been rejected by shrinking and 
unbelief, which has brought such confusion and 
dissatisfaction especially among those once ex- 
ercised and kept free while in possession of 
this clear light and perfect faith ' ' once deliv- 
ered to the saints." 

MISTAKE OF REPORMEKS. 

God has designed and commenced several times 
within the last three hundred years or more, to 
bring back some gifts and signs, and to bring the 
church up at least to the spirit and faith which 



they had at Pentecost. But history shows 
clearly that those Reformers, who at various 
times have been started by the Lord, too when 
they have carried the particular point given 
them to accomplish — they have themselves be- 
come afraid for the success, or for the injury, 
or entire overthrow of the reformation thus far 
carried by or under their labors, because some 
have been raised up to take it thus, and still 
carry it forward to its perfection, introducing 
some new ideas not touched in the outset, and,, 
perhaps, points disavowed by them when 
charged on them, by their enemies, as the ulti- 
► mate end or design. 

See Martin Luther' s fears and troubles at one 
time on this very point. At Wittenburg, 
while he had the outward reformation of words 
and doctrine, others began to look for the in- 
ward, and taught that the people of God should 
follow an inward light, that they possessed the 
spirit of prophecy, and spoke by immediate re- 
velation, that the vain show and ceremonies of 
the church were to be displaced by the simpli- 
city of the Apostolical church — that God was 
leading them to establish a spiritual church; 
(see S. S., Life of Luther, page 332,) this was 
beyond him ; was not what he had started to do, 
hence his fears. John Wesley had his troubles 
with some of his members, who professed that 
they had received the gift of discerning of 
spirits, and some other gifts which he had not 
had in view, in his deep and spiritual reforma- 
tion of justification and sanctification by simple 
faith. Next the Ranters, persecuted and des- 
pised, for fourteen years, without any church 
organization; yet they had gathered in so 
many respectables among them, that they finally 
organized the ^'■Primitive Methodists.^'' But 
in a few years, when the laying on of hands 
was seen among the most devoted and spiritual, 
they were called "Fondlings;" then soon the 
leaders legislated, by vote, "that no man 
should lay his hands on a woman in meeting," 
and of late, legislation in a church, against all 
miraculous gifts, just as the Holy Ghost had 
brought some in sight, and others in possession 
of them.* 



* Free Methodists^ at the second meeting of that body, 
passed a resolution denouncing all miraculous gifts 
at the present day as the faith, unbelief of the indi- 
vidual members of that body, while convened, Novem- 
ber, 1861, at Rushford, Allegany Co.,N. Y., Resolved, 
That as individual members of this convention, we 
do not believe in miraculous gifts, at the present day, 
to be had or exercised, viz.. The gift of faith — the gift 
of healing — the gift of prophecy — the discerning of 
spirits — diverse kinds of tongues — the interpretation 
of tongues, are any of them to be sought or exercised 
by any of the children of God at the present day. 
[See Ist Cor. Chap, xii, 4-13, where these are named.] 
N. B. — An attempt has been made since to rescind 
the above ; I have heard, to blot it out of their records, 
but it failed, a majority being against them. In the 
Pastoral Address, in the Methodist Episcopal Church 
of the Genesee Conference of 1857, the definition 
given of Fanaticism is this, viz., " What we mean by 
fanaticism is the supposition that we are under the 
immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit in matters of 
duty, and particularly as to conduct in seasons of 
worship." Here, by vote of a conference of minis- 
ters, is rejecting the spirit they every day and every 
week ask and pray for to guide them '■'■in matters of 
duty and in seasons of worship. " 



KAZARITE CHARACTERISTICS. 



83 



XAZARITE CHARACTERISTICS. 

Here began to be exhibited more prominently 
some of the peculiarities of the Lord's Naza- 
rites of latter days. And like Samson the first 
Nazarite of note who began to be moved by 
the Spirit at times, and in a way too unlike 
many others. He was to drink no wine or 
.strong drink — no razor should come on his 
iface. He was led to take a wife from among the 
heathens contrary to the law of Moses; ''his 
parents knew not that it was of the Lord;" he 
•was misunderstood by his parents and brethren; 
was blamed much while he lived, but was a 
man owned and approved of God, and his 
. name stands on the inspired records among the 
ancient worthies and champions of faith. (See 
Heb. xi. 32. ) And also the history of this man 
■ of God in xiv — xvi chapters Judges. So with 
these Nazarites just now, especially (not exclu- 
sively) to be separate only in spirit from the 
outwardly organized and popular churches or 
seels at the present day. And yet to live in 
them and among them, and adapted to associ- 
ate with all of them, and thus to benefit all 
sincere and honest persons who intend to walk 
with God and to go finally to live with him for- 
ever. Thus having no outwardly or separate 
and distinct ecclesiastical organization, or ever 
intending any, except the union of love — the 
only safe matrimonial union with each other 
and with the Lord. All others aside from love 
esteemed but a ^^ padlocked ^^ relation beside 
this sanctified nature which instinctively unites 
ithem. Such was the church anciently ' ' insep- 
:arably joined in heart,"' ''the friends of Jesus 
;are." Also they regard the '' spirit of truth " 
,the only infallible guide of a child of God. 
While they receive and regard all scripture 
given by '' His inspiration (as found not only 
in the Old but also in the New Testament, ) 
profiBtable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness, that the man of 
God may be perfect — thoroughly furnished unto 
all good works.'''' They claim all the advant- 
ages to be gained by the history of the people 
of God in other ages — of their slips and of their 
mis-steps as recorded in the Bible by the direc- 
tion and inspiration of the Spirit of God, whose 
authority and guidance they respect and claim 
to be superior of necessity to the Bible teach- 
ings and directions, which was once adapted to 
former ages and circumstances, yet subject to be 
repeated precisely or varied as ' '■Sis wisdom and 
will shall dictate now. " They ' ' covet ' ' and 
claim for the church now, all the gifts of the 
Spirit which have been bestowed and exercised 
in former times by the servants of God as re- 
corded both in the Old and New Testaments. 
And those also promised by the Saviour, viz. : 
''And these signs shall follow them that believe. 
In my name they shall cast out devils; they 
shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take 
up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing 
it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on 
the sick and they shall recover.^ ^ (See Mark 
xvi, 17-18.) Also John xiv, 12: ''Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me 
HhQ works that I do shall h« do also, and greater 



works than these shall he do, because I go to 
the Father." (Even the dead are to be raised 
in this generation also. ) " Neither male nor 
/e?7ia?e in Christ Jesus." (See Joel ii, 28. ) In- 
cluding, no doubt, the right to claim any sign, 
miracle or demonstration of God's power ne- 
cessary to confound the devil and overthrow 
his increased skill and power over men. (See 
Joshua's faith commanding the sun to stand 
still; see Moses' signs in Egypt — at the Red 
Sea— the miracle at the rock of Horeb : a stream 
of water two inches deep and twenty-two inches 
wide came pouring out of a dry rock lying 
above ground ; following them forty years. See 
also Peter's talk to Annanias — to his wife — 
they fall dead; see him by the corpse of Dorcas 
on his knees, saying, " Tabatha, arise!" and 
she opened her eyes. See Paul smite Elimus 
the sorcerer with blindness; see him ^ 'embrace'^ 
the dead Euticus fallen from the third loft. 
'■'■ His life is in him." Again, see his hands 
laid on the father of Publius, sick in bed eight 
years; and then others in the island.) The 
skill and improvements made in evil of late, 
exhibited by the religious devils exerting their 
sorcery influence on both men and women too; 
in the iconders and mysterious things don(? 
71010 in some places by the so-called Spiritual- 
ists, is calling loud on the church and friends 
of Jesus not only to ^'deserve spiritual gifts,-' 
but also to ^^ covet earnestly the best gifts." 
Those more especially now to outdo and con- 
found the devil and open the eyes of the thou- 
sands in this land now deceived by these 
modern '•magicians.''^ Such are some of the 
religious views and characteristics of the "i\^a- 
zariteSj"" which God has adapted to this gener- 
ation; who are taught of Christ and of the 
Holy Spirit neither to "take sword or staff as 
weapons of war or defence ; no razor to ' mar 
the corners of the beard ; ' make no use of to- 
bacco or rum as provisions of the flesh; wear no 
gold rings, or chains or hoops to please the eye 
of the living; neither to put on mourning weeds 
or black crape to speak for the dead; nor yet 
to expend a small fortune (that might feed and 
clothe the widow and fatherless) on monuments 
and expensive grave-stones, to ' garnish the 
sepulchres ' of (once persecuted) the righteous 
now dead; or make the unregenerated dead 
speak lies on grave-stones of their happy state 
with God, after living and dying in sin, thus 
luring others hellward by this deception.'^ 

These are the sentiments and such the testi- 
mony of the Nazarites, and God has set me for 
the defence and confirmation of these tmths in 
these last days. And the miracidous gifts and 
'■infallible guidance of the Holy Ghost, 'whom 
He hath given to them that obey Him.' " For 
this is the dispensation of the Spirit peculiarly 
so. First, the Father; second, the Son; third, 
the Spirit. First, justice; second, 3Iercy; 
third, Grace. Again: first, laio, to show or 
discover sin — its nature and sinfulness; sec- 
ond, the Gospel, including the idea of the 
Atonement — paying the price of our redemp- 
tion of sold and body from the curse of the law 
— Christ being " made a curse for us;'''' third, 
the Spirit; and last in the economy of God to 

(5) 



u 



NAZARITP: THEOLOOy. 



get man restored to His image, and get him 
fitted for heaven. The spirit, who alone con- 
victs, reproves, quickens, sanctifies, guides and 
reserves all that obey Him. Here is seen the 
reason why the ''blasphemy" against the 
Holy Ghost can not he forgiven. Doubtless 
it is not because the offence is greater than 
against the Father or the Son, but because the 
Spirit is the only agency that can reach our 
case, show us, soften us into repentance, and 
reveal in us the knowledge of Christ Jesus as 
our Saviour. Paul says, "Through him, (Je- 
sus,) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access 
by one iSpirit unto the Father." The Son in- 
troduces us to the Father, " No man knoweth 
who the Father is save the Son, and he to 
whomsoever the Son will reveal him." The 
Spirit introduces us to the Son and to the Fa- 
ther through the Son. ( ' ' No man can say that 
Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy G^iost.") 
Now if the Spirit is not believed and recognized 
but is insulted, and his manifestations called the 
work of the devil, viz. : ' ' He hath an unclean 
spirit." This is the "blasphemy of the Holy 
Ghost; it hath never forgiveness, but is in dan- 
ger of eternal damnation." It is no small of- 
fence to sin against the Holy Ghost because he 
is God himself. Peter said to Annanias, "Why 
hath Satan put it into thy heart to lie to the 
Holy Ghost? thou hast not lied unto man but 
unto God." Again, " While the church fasted 
and prayed, the Holy Ghost said, separate Bar- 
nabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have 
called them." This is the spirit secured for 
man by Christ's sacrificial death which led the 
prophets who spake as they were moved by the 
Holy Ghost — the Spirit that descended upon Je- 
sus as he came up out of the river Jordan after 
John had baptized him. John saw the Spirit 
like a dove descending and abode upon him; 
who led him into the wilderness to be tempted 
of the devil, and conquered Satan and all his 
angels; was given without measure to Jesus of 
Nazareth, and is secured for all saints without 
measure, ' 'All the fullness of God. ' ' [See Eph. 
iii, 19.] 

The annointing power in Jesus and ifi all 
who receive his gifts, which ' ' casts out devils,'' ' 
— which forgives sin. " The keys of the king- 
dom of heaven," which '' hinds things on earth'' ^ 
and gives the witness of their being ' ^hound in 
heaven ' ' at the same moment in all ages of the 
church, especially noia in this skeptical age. 
The devil has acquired a skill and power of de- 
ception unknown by the church, even in the 
apostolic age or any former period. And I see 
that Satan has advantages by the sciences (so- 
called) which devils could not use much, be- 
cause men did not have and understand until 
the present generation. Men did not study 
Phrenology, Mesmerism, Psychology, Magnet- 
ism, or the principles of Electricity. Although 
devils and some men, too, understood some of 
these anciently, which were called magicians 
of various grades, both male and female, prac- 
ticing ^' witchcraft,^ ^ thus assuming divine 
origin (counterfeits) and authority in what 
seemed supernatural manifestations. The de- 
vil had his servants, called astrologers, who 



told fortunes, events by the stars — planets, 
soothsayers — female witches, necromancers, 
who told the future nearly true, because the 
devil had such control of the world he would 
bring it to pass — the fulfillment — and thus con- 
firm the deception that it was from God, in- 
stead of it being from the devil. Had the 
people sought God he would have exposed the 
deception, as he did in the case of the false 
prophets of ^hab by Micaiah, the true prophet, 
predicting the death of Ahab, ins^tead of success 
which they unitedly promised him. [See 1st 
Kings, chap. 22.] Charmers, (yet control by 
songs of a religious character;) diviners, (ex- 
plain mysteries;) consulter with familiar spir- 
its, (may be by table rapping, ) bewitchiDg the 
mind. All these the devil had under his con- 
trol in the Old Testament times. Pharaoh 
called them wise men and sorcerers — the ma- 
gicians of Egypt. [See Exodus vii, 2.] ''There- 
fore hearken not to your prophets, nor to your 
diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your en- 
chanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak 
Zies," [See Jer. xxvii, 9.] '' There shall not be 
among you an enchanter, a witch, a charmer, 
or a consulter with jamiliar spirits, or a wi- 
zard, or a necromancer,'''' [See Deut. xviii, 
10-11.] Simon bewitched a whole city with 
sorceries, [see Acts viii, 9-10,] giving out that 
he was some great one, to whom they all gave 
heed, saying, '• This man is the great power of 
God.''^ A very popular minister or preacher, 
intelligent, affable and pleasant in his manners, 
but a child of the devil ' ' in the gall of bitter- 
ness and bonds of iniquity;" yet to him they 
had " respect."" 



CHAPTER VI. 



A POPULAR PREACHER. 



If the Rev. Simon, D. D., the sorcerer ("He 
offered them money' ' for power to lay on hands) 
lived now, there would be a general rally at 
least once a year to his donation, for he would 
be held in such esteem by the present genera- 
tion of religious folks that they would be eager 
to get anything from his pen or lips. And they 
certainly would want his portrait to frame and 
hang up in their dwellings. His visits, also, 
would be hailed as refreshing seasons, " To 
whom they all gave heed from the least to the 
greatest. ' ' 

RESOLL'TIOXS FATAL TO THE PREACHER. 

At a certain camp-meeting, a few years since, 
a brother stood up in the stand and said, " It is 
probably the last camp-meeting that I shall 
ever attend ; but it annoys us very much to 
have the Nazarites come to our camp-meet- 
ings. ' ' He called the outsiders and all to vote 
the Nazarites away from their camp-meetings, 
and quarterly meetings. In about eight months 
that preciows man — preacher (fori loved him) 
was laid in his grave. I verily believe, that if 
it had not been for that, and a kindred resolu- 
tion, that minister would be now preaching the 



APING INSULT TO GOD. 



35 



Gospel. ^^God is not mocked,'" And yet, He 
tried to save him, burdening some and sending 
others who had faith to help hira, but they 
were hindered and he died. 

APING. 

There are, even noio, those like Simon, who 
have either ' ' envied ' ' or coveted the ' ' laying 
on of hands." They have opposed this gift of 
God in others; hut afterwards (without confes- 
sion and restitution) they have tj'ied it, saying 
the empty words without sanction — yea, even 
a repetition without effect. While looking on, 
these words were given me by the Spirit : ''Such 
are false apostles, deceilful workers, transform- 
ing themselves into the apostles of Christ, and 
no marvel, for Satan is transformed into an an- 
gel of light." [See 2 Cor. xi. 14.] Yet I am 
glad to see the evidence of any gifts of the 
Spirit again in the church which destroys the 
"oppression" of the devil on human beings. 
But men had better be careful how they " stea- 
dy the ark" — oppose these things in others, and 
then attempt to experiment, or trifle with those 
sacred gifts of the Holy Ghost sent down from 
heaven to men; so essential to efficiency, or 
even to the existence of a Christian church. — 
[See Eph. iv. 11, 13.] And yet, in "any way 
Christ is preached, I therein rejoice, yea, and I 
will rejoice." 

AN INSULT TO GOD. 

Once at the gathering of an ecclesiastical 
body, convened for the transaction of business, 
and for devising rules and regulations for the 
government and for the success of the body, 
the following resolution was passed, after some 
little deliberation; (either for the fear of being 
misunderstood — or the fear of reproach, or of 
persecution — all the fruit and offspring of 
unbelief,) viz: "Resolved, that as individual 
members of this convention, we do not believe 
in miraculous ' gifts ' at the present day — to 
be sought or exercised by any of the children 
of God;" (then naming the particular gifts as 
they are called in the 12th chapter of 1st Cor- 
inthians,) viz: The gift of tongues, interpreta- 
tion of tongues, and of healing the sick. 

In tracing the history of that church down to 
the present day, is seen a strange mixture of 
light and confusion — of divisions and power — 
of fearfidness and of recklessness, exhibiting 
clearly, either the want of a safe guide, or a want 
of acquaintance with the one which they dare 
not trust and follow, viz., obey. What could 
a church expect otherwise, who has thus legis- 
lated against God — against the guide they need 
and are asking to help them against the devil ? 
In many instances "Satan" has supplied the 
Spirit's place, and this is the source of their 
trouble— /ears and unbelief. Can any reasona- 
ble hope be had of permanent prosperity with- 
out repentance and confession to God of the 
insult thus remaining before him on the part of 
those who adopted the above heterodoxy or 
infidelity? Thus restraining and dictating those 
who might and would believe and obey God, 
the real Holy Ghost, and receive his gifts and 
exercise them for the relief and salvation of 



others? Jesus was " manifested to destroy the 
works of the devil." ''Be gave gifts to men,^^ 
to carry on the aggressive war. "Lo I am 
with you always, even to the end of the world." 
To the last day of Time; to tlce end. 

MISSION AMONG SECTARIANS. 

I was constrained by the love of Christ — to 
him and his church — to go to one of the Brock- 
port tent meetings (the last one,) to pray for 
them, and to help them against the strong 
devils, which I saio stood opposed to their 
success. They arrested me for speaking in the 
meeting once, but on reflection they did not 
appear to ^^ accuse" me. I continued to obey 
the Lord through the meeting. The day came 
to partake ' ' the Lord's Supper. ' ' I had not 
even thought of going — I had no wish, no de- 
sire to go. But just as about thirty preachers 
had surrounded the altar, the Lord pointed me 
to an open place at the corner, and told me to 
go and ^^ stand there.''' I arose, walked and 
stood there. I saw a consultation. Soon one 
of them said, " I object to this man having the 
Elements given him, after what has transpired. 
Then said it again. The Lord gave me these 
words, filling me with love and bliss, viz., 
"Which none of the princes of this world 
knew, for had they known it, they would not 
have crucified the Lord of glory." I have 
since seen they were given me by the Spirit to 
be spoken aloud. I kneeled down — was passed 
by, (^ worse than Judas,) but I arose and went 
away with my • ' peace, and the blessing of the 
Lord ' ' was idth me, but they had a very dull, 
dead time, all through their super-forced work 
to shout. 

THE SPIRIT AND WORD AGREE. — A SHORT 
SERMON. 

This is quoted often as if it was found in the 
Bible with great tenacity and authority, jvith- 
out ever attempting to give the chapter and 
verse. Now I reply to this by saying there is 
no such language in the Bible. The word of 
God is said to be the " sword of the spirit," as 
named in the christian armour, a weapon or an 
instrument with which the Spirit quells and 
conquers foes. " He cast out the spirit with 
his iDOrd." Again, "Out of his mouth pro- 
ceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should 
smite the nations." But it was not always— or 
even seldom taken from the Bible— the Old Tes- 
tament, for some of the New Testament was then 
written. It is recorded by the prophets. "The 
word of the Lord came to the prophet — came 
to Ezekiel — to Amos — to Jeremiah — to Joel — to 
Jonah, &c. How ? not from any book, but from 
God — directly from God. Afterwards these 
sayings were written down as a matter of record. 
"And it came to pass according to the word of 
the Lord.'^ But we are to believe what God 
speaks now, as well as to believe and obey 
what he has spoken. It would be God's living 
icord if the Spirit should bring it out to our re- 
membrance and cause it to be spoken by some 
child of God under like or even varied circum- 
stances. But if spoken or quoted by the devil 
— even from the Bible to us, then it is not the 



36 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



toord of the Lord, but the words of the devil. 
He said to Jesus '^ It is written,^' but not writ- 
ten for us to obey nor believe the devil. ;But 
to illustrate — a christian convert feels the cross 
— an intimation to speak in a love-feast or meet- 
ing. Yet they may not know what they are 
going to say — nor even when they sit down 
may not remember twenty words they did say. 
These words came and thev arose, viz., " Open 
thy mouth wide and I will" fill it." They speak 
perhaps as those did on the day of " Pentecost," 
viz., "As they were moved by the Holy 
Ghost." Others feel the inspiration of their 
words and are constrained to acknowledge that 
" God is in them of a truth," and thus fall 
down under conviction by the word — the testi- 
mony "put forth in the Spirit," cats like a 
sharp two-edged sword." 

Now, here is the word of the Lord given by 
the Spirit whether from the bible or "hymn 
book," — spelling book or from figures or experi- 
ence drawn from nature, it is the word of God. 
' ' They spoke as they were moved by the Holy 
Ghost — as the spirit gave them utterance, " and 
yet they could not interpret their own talk. 
This is the word of the Lord spoken by the 
Spirit — from the living God, and still God owns 
the Bible as His Truth to every honest person 
who wants to know and do the will of God. 
The spirit has come to lead us. '*As many as 
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons 
of God. ' ' None else are led by him or even 
' ' receive ' ' or know him, but Christians and 
those who have renounced sin and the devil, 
his works and ways, and have determined to 
find Jesus as their Saviour, and to do the will 
of God. And " if ye be led by the Spirit, ye 
are not under the law.' ^ " They that are after 
the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but 
they that are after the Spirit the things of the 
Spirit. " An old man arose as he was wont to 
do at the close of the sermon and said, " Eter- 
nity — Eternity.'" An infidel was struck under 
conviction at that meeting. The minister learn- 
ing of the change, and supposing that it must 
have been some word or sentence in the sermon 
he had arranged, he soon went to see and in- 
quire, '' What part of my sermon, sir, was it 
which afiected you most ? " " Not one word 
of your sermon had the least effect upon me, 
sir, but it was what that old man said at the 
close of your sermon, that you was trying to 
hinder from speaking, ^'Eternity — Eternity," 
which followed and stack by me." This was 
the word of the Lord — the begetting seed. The 
sword of the Spirit which broke the power of 
the doubting — lieing devil, on the poor sinner. 
God so loves man, and has set his heart on him, 
and has magnified man that He will do any- 
thing, or lead us in any way to save sinners, or 
to perfect the church in this life. 

INFATUATION. 

After visiting my old neighborhood, preach- 
ing some there and in other meetings, I was 
directed to visit one sick in Monroe county, 
town of Clarkson. While there, I read the 
''article" which was the occasion of suggest- 
ing the letter and subsequent train of thought 



and the writing of this book or work. I heard 
on Saturday that an old acquaintance, Jane 
G , who had married a widower in that re- 
gion, was sick and was taken worse. On Mon- 
day morning, while on my knees — held about 
an hour — the Lord showed me that I must go 
to the house of brother W , and by his con- 
sent lay my hands on Jane's head in the name 
of Jesus, and heal her, (the disease was in the 
head — a stupidity. ) I went, but on my way, 
and after reaching the house, I was so affected 
with the possibility that he would not give his 
consent, that I could scarcely keep from crying 
— a funeral appeared in sight. The doctor 
came out of the room. I saw by the the con- 
versation that more doctors were contemplated. 
After the doctor had gone, I said, " Bro. W — , 
I have come to your house, not as a common 
visitor or sympathiser, but have come by the- 
Lord's directions to lay my hands on Jane's 
head, by your consent, and heal her." "Well 
— well, that may be, but I shan' t give my con- 
sent." "Then," said I, "you'll have a 
funeral unless this, God's only plan, is ob- 
served; you may get all the doctors in Monroe 
county and she'll die," They got two more, 
and one of the doctors examined her thoroughly 
and said he was sure of success, if he was not 
he would not undertake it. In two days Jane 
was a corpse, and the old man was nearly dis- 
tracted. It was a very simple and harmless 
plan, like the washing seven time's in Jordan 
that cured Naaman of leprosy, after his first 
repulsing it. I continued to write, as I had 
time and opportunity, and the subject pre- 
sented to my mind, during the fall and winter 
of 1866-7. Traveled into Wayne county where 
I saw some fruit. I started once for home; 
went as far as Rochester. But on Sunday, the 
next morning, all was dark in the west — looked 
forbidding. I got on my knees in the bed — 
began to say " Thy will he done." Presently 
I was sent back into Wayne county, about ten 
miles, to do some things the Lord had shown 
me the day before while on my knees in the 
horse barn, which I had thought not ready to 
be done. I continued on east, and about Sodus 
Bay, about four weeks; then started again 
towards home, but became cautious lest I 
should get out of God's order and out of my 
sphere or "orbit." But finding the roads 
bearing me to the southeast instead of the 
southwest, I at last became tempted or tried. 
I kneeled down by the roadside to know what 
it meant — began to say " Thy will he done." 
The Lord showed me the lower end of Main 
street, Penn Yan, Yates county — told me to go 
and preach the next Sunday at four o'clock. I 
saw it was God^s light. I said " I'll go." 

STREET PREACHING, PENN YAN. 

The Lord sent travelers soon—just in time to 
carry me, so that I reached Penn Yan two days 
after, in time to give notice on Saturday in the 
streets, and Sunday by written notice read in 
the meetings, to preach in the street at four 
o'clock, as directed. Many came. I preached 
from the text which was given me two days be- 
fore, while sitting by the wayside, in Ontario Co. 



STREET PREACillNa AT TENN YANi 



" Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the 
waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, &c." 
[See Isa. Iv, 1-3. ] Some preachers were present ; 
one of them stood upon the head of a salt bar- 
rel — (not a brother Wheeler — he has gone to 
India as a missionary since;) — talked — said '' I 
see this preaching in the streets reaches some 
who do not go to meeting much anywhere. I 
like it, although I never preached in the streets; 
but this man has told us the truth. I never 
saw him before. It may be this is all the way 
he has got to heaven, like Cox, the first mis- 
sionary to Africa. He has preached the truth 
now for the truth's sake; let us make him a 
present." They out with their wallets as if 
they were glad to have an opportunity to do 
something in that line. The preacher received 
— counted — soon handed me over ten dollars. 
The Lord had set me laughing, so I could say 
nothing to arrest it, as at other times I had 
done. I thanked them for their kindness and 
attention, and said this is the first public col- 
lection I ever felt free to have taken for me in 
the seven years I've traveled in this manner, 
but I see this is all right. The next morning I 
was awakened before daylight and directed to 
the poor-house of Yates county, where I visited 
the poor and preached on the two succeeding 
Sundays at four o'clock, and in the meeting- 
house at BlufiF Point on the same evening of the 
first. The Presiding Elder and Circuit preacher 
were both present. The Presiding Elder arose 
and said '' This brother has told us a great deal 
of truth, but I'm afraid he's made a mistake; 
but he has told us a great deal of truth. Said 
with deep emotion, I had related some of my 
experience, especially having to leave my all — 
house and land, shop, home, and aW." I 
heard by one of the brethren that the Circuit 
preacher said, " if that discourse had only been 
'''' arranged,^ ^ it would have been the greatest 
discourse he ever heard in all his life." But I 
presume that that circumstance was the power 
and wisdom of God. He had it arranged, or 
gave me the truth^ and I talked it out as it came 
— man's arrangement would have spoiled it. I 
attended here the first "Preachers' District 
Meeting." God was there and used me some. 
I traveled on foot considerably this summer, as 
well as the winter before. I spent a few min- 
utes only at the jail in Penn Yan; two prison- 
ers, one in for drinking whiskey, the other in 
for selling whiskey. I spent a few days in the 
town of Middlesex, and attended a Quarterly 
Meeting. On Monday morning, as I was about 
to rise from bed, "Blood's Corners ' ' was sound- 
ing in me. I had never been there — had heard 
of the place, that there were some Free Meth- 
odists there, &c. 

I told Bro. Martin that the Lord had directed 
me to Blood's Corners, some fifteen or twenty 
miles distant. I went and preached to them 
three times; the last time was to be a class- 
meeting. The leader, Bro. Wilson, thought 
hardly worth while to light up, so few would 
come, or none. But I said, "You'll be mis- 
taken." We went and there came the house 
nearly full. I preached and told them that I 
had orders from the master to leave in the 



morning for Allegany county. I went, and on 
my way I preached once north of Hornellsville 
in a Methodist meeting-house, which was built 
some years since as the result of a reformation 
under the preaching and labors of my youngest 
brother, Hiram C. Reddy. A heavy hail storm 
occurred during the sermon. I visited Brother 
De Witt Baker, near Angelica, and returned to 
Yates county, and then to Schuyler county by 
the same route I had taken. I preached three 
or four times in school-houses between Penn 
Yan and Dundee, once to a house full of young 
people who wanted me to preach again. I had 
given to me this text, viz. : ' ' Now if ye will 
deal truly and kindly with my master, tell me; 
and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right 
hand or to the left." I preached a wedding 
sermon, the first and last that I have ever. I 
told them I was seeking a bride for my master; 
told of his riches, of his kindness, of his love 
and care over his hride, the Lamb's wife, &c. 
I attended and led a class-meeting at Watkins. 
Some were restored who had lost their union 
with the Lord. One brother, I heard, said 
after the meeting, " What new doctrine is this? 
what new ideas? I never was in such a meet- 
ing; I never was so happy in all my life. " The 
next morning, after family prayer, I saw the 
leader sitting on the sofa wiping his eyes ; said 
that night that "none of his swearing hands 
but once acted improperly that day— a miracle,' ' 
he thought. 

On learning of a Quarterly Meeting to be' 
held at Odessa by the Wesleyans, the Lord 
showed me that I must go. I visited some sick 
on the way to that meeting. Spoke three times 
in their meeting on Saturday night; many 
talked afterwards; some wept; it gave a new 
impulse to the dull meeting they had in the day 
time. I was invited by a widow Catlin to go 
home with her and stay. (She and her sister, 
both widows from the war, and their families 
occupying the same house. ) I said a few words 
in the love-feast season in the morning — took 
my hat and left the feast before it closed, for 
Johnson' s Settlement. I spoke a few minutes 
at the close of the sermon ; was asked by the 
stranger preacher to dismiss the people — shook 
hands — asked his name, and found one of our 
old preachers of the Genesee Conference. John 
W. Nevins. He traveled the Ridgeway Circuit 
thirty-five years ago in Orleans county. New 
York. He invited me home with him; I took 
dinner with him. 

INTRODUCTIOX TO ALPIXE. 

After dinner he spoke of an afternoon appoint- 
ment — that the people would be disappointed 
by the preacher not having arrived to the Cir- 
cuit. It impressed me I must go and see that 
people, — may be I might say something that 
would do them good. I took up a book but 
could not read ; laid it down, shook hands, and 
left for Alpine, about three miles distant. They 
had separated before I reached the place, but 
notice was soon given by somebody that a 
stranger had come, and nearly the school-house 
full of people came. I was set laughing and 
shouting on the road to the school-house, and 



38 



NAZAKITE THEOLOGY. 



said to the brethren with me, " I hope God will 
send down his power and drive all the devils 
out of Alpine." I was kept laughing all the 
way into the school-house; stood a little; closed 
my eyes, and soon fell laughing. While lying 
there, the Lord gave me these words, viz: ''The 
kingdom of God is not in word only, but in 
power — in demonstration of the Spirit, and in 
much assurance." I arose, sat down, and 
talked for a while, but stood after a little. The 
next night, without any notice, they assembled 
and sent— found me asleep at a preacher's house. 
They came in with a lamp, and said " Come, 
they want you to come and preach to them 
again." I went, and said "You have taken 
me by surprise;" told some of my experience, 
and said "Come again to-morrow night and 
I'll preach to you again." They gave a very 
unfavorable account of themselves and of others 
in their midst, both saint and sinner. The Lord 
would not let me ask how many professed reli- 
gion in the neighborhood and about. I was re- 
ferred to David numbering Israel ; so the Spirit 
put a check on me in that direction, so that I 
had to depend on him alone. They talked as 
if there was no hope of a reformation or any 
good being done, seeing there had been so 
many efforts, so much preaching, &c. But I 
noticed some of them wept very easy. 

HEALED, 

At a grove-meeting at Akron, Erie county, a 
young woman standing at the door of a tent, 
looking at a few persons in a circle on their 
knees praying. Soon the young woman was 
seen to turn pale, then stepped forward and 
laid her hands on the head of Bro. C — Quade, 
a man about fifty years old ; and soon she fell 
backwards to the ground, without giving utter- 
ance to a word. Brother Quade said when she 
went over his rheumatism left him, which had 
pained and distressed him for a long time, and 
it had never troubled him since. "These signs 
shall follow them that believe." 

ORDAINED. 

The Holy Ghost said " Separate these men, 
Barnabas and Said, for the work whereunto I 
have called them.^^ [See Acts xiii^ 2-3.] The 



Brother C- 



who made the Christian feast 



at the Shelby camp-meeting, which was held 
on Saturday. The next day, viz : Sunday, in 
the meeting held in the long tent put up again, 
he stepped upon the table under deep emotion, 
and apparently under a heavy cross, and said: 
^^ All who leant the Holy Ghost to lead us and 
have his way in this meeting, raise your 
hands.'' ^ The vote was unanimous. He then 
said the Lord had showed him that one was be- 
set apart — ordained as bishop or leader in this 
Nazarite company of the disciples of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and the Lord had laid the duty 
and cross on him. He then came down off the 
table — came where I was sitting, and on my 
knees; laid his hands on my head and said: 
' ' In the name of the Father, Son and Holy 
Ghost, by the laying on of my hands I ordain 
thee the leader of this people, amen.''^ I was 
melted into tears, conscious of God's design 



and agency in it, although I had received the 
Spirit before, and was led by the Holy Ghost 
just as Barnabas and Saul previous lo their 
being ordained specially by the church — dic- 
tated by the same Spirit. Immediately I was 
directed by the Lord to arise, and read the 
"parchment" of my ordination by Bishop 
James, giving me power to marry, baptize &c., 
with the hand and seal of Bishop Edmond S. 
James, by order of the Genesee Conference 
held at Le Roy, Sept. 14, 1851, together with 
the letter of my standing as an ordained minis- 
ter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, by 
James M. Fuller, Presiding Elder Genesee dis- 
trict. When I saw I must travel, I read these 
documents, not knowing why I was called to 
read them, it being the first time after leaving 
all for Christ. But I saw the reasons in a few 
days, having to marry him and one other couple 
at the close of the meeting before they left the 
neighborhood — all by the Lord's special direc- 
tion. Of this I myself had undisputed demon- 
stration by the power of God coming on me as 
I joined, their hands together, " In the name of 
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, amen. ' ' Up 
to this time and hour I think I had never ut- 
tered one sentence or word to any one of some 
of the great things which God had showed me — 
He had called me to do even then — and I had 
not yet seen the whole of it; yet I saw and tes- 
tified to some things that God had set me to do, 
viz. : the "defence and confirmation of truth — 
of the truth of the Spirit — of his agency and 
guidance in these last days ; " to be a witness 
that "He abides with you forever/^ 

ANSWER TO PRATER. 

An African boy was stolen from his home and 
country, and carried by one of the English ships 
and left where was a missionary and station. 
The man of God taught the poor heathen child 
about the living God and his promises to those 
who pray and ask in faith through the Saviour. 
The boy had found the Lord to be his Saviour, 
he kneeled on the shore of the great ocean and 
thanked the Lord that he had sent King George's 
big ship, and had brought him where he had 
found the missionary and Jesus. And now he 
had ond great thing to ask of the Lord, viz. : 
that he would send another of King George's 
big ships and bring his father and mother there 
too, so they could be happy. He told the mis- 
sionary that he had prayed for this, and they 
were coming. Every day he would visit the 
shore and look out on the ocean for the ship. 
One day he came into the missionary's room, 
animated with perfect delight, saying, "They' 
are coming; I've seen the ship, — father and 
mother are there." And sure enough the ship 
was soon in port, and landed the boy's father 
and mother as the Lord had told him. 

Another instance. — A Brother B , in the 

town of Collins, Erie county, told me that when 
he was a boy twelve years old, that his mother 
was given up by the doctors to die of dropsy. 
But he felt very bad and wept, and prayed in 
secret for his mother to live— he couldn't think 
of his mother leaving. One day while in prayer, 
he was so burdened for his mother he said, "Oj 



THK SPIRIT GRIEVED LED BY THE SPIRIT. 



39 



my Jesus, take this disease away from my mo- 
ther." Instantly the question was asked in his 
mind, " Where" shall it fjo?'' He answered, 
"Let it r/o into that beech trce,'^ which stood 
down in his tathers lot. The burden left him; 
he arose, went into the house, threw his arms 
around his mothers neck, kissing her, and was 
so happy he hardly knew what to do, but told 
no one till noii\ at fifty years of age. But his 
mother Avas well immediately, and was a healthy 
woman fifteen years. 

Once more. — Two brothers were converted at 
Oramel. Allegany county, about ten years since 
while I was there helping m}" son in a meeting. 
While on that circuit, "William, the youngest, 
nine years old, arose at three o'clock the next 
moining and began to pray for his father, three 
miles away in the village, — a drunkard who had 
the delirium tremens but a short time before. 
William continued to pray and weep till day- 
light. God awakened his father out of his sleep ; 
he sprang from his bed under deep conviction, 
and that night William led his father into the 
meeting-house and into the same slip where he 
found the Lord; and we saw his father con- 
verted and made a happy man; and he died 
happy before the year was out. Here is God's 
order in burdening those who are saved; for 
those who are not saved all must have a mother 
— Zion travails. 

THE SPIRIT GRIEVED. 

At a camp-meeting held in the county of Or- 
leans, some six years, since, I felt so pressed, 
early one morning, from some cause, that I 
steered my course away into the deep forest, 
quite a distance from the ground, to pray. The 
devil roared and pressed hard, at times, but 
victory is what I went for, and that 1 was de- 
termined to have at any cost. Twice I was 
slain there alone with God, by his power, be- 
fore I felt free. Then I arose and came i)ack 
to the ground, but could eat no breakfast. 
When I came into the love-feast, I kneeled 
down in the aisle in the altar. The lord told 
me to rise and speak ^rst I arose and walked 
a few steps, but one of the preachers in the 
stand saw me and continued the singing two or 
three verses further; but I stood till done. I 
then began to speak a few words. When up 

jumped brother L , a class- leader, from 

one of the front seats, in haste, as if he had 
been neglecting the cross till he dare not put it 
off longer, and said, " I must do my duty.'^ 
But before he had got out a full sentence, an 
old Sister, P , came running and scream- 
ing mightily across in front of the stand. The 
Spirit shifted me from talking into a hearty 
laugh, at seeing the Lord rebuke the deception 
or else the hypocrisy of the class-leader. I 
stepped back to my seat, but was soon impressed 
to stand up, which seemed a great cross, think- 
ing I might fall. But I arose, and with my 
hand on a Brother B' s back, I stood all through 
that love-feast. Six or seven fell by the power 
of God, while they were talking, and I praying 
a few sentences for them, when I saw they were 
honest and were willing that God should have 
his way with them, and in the meeting. Only 



two of all the preachers in the stand who talked, 
and they wept and both made a confession. 
"Afterward I was ahungered " and found my- 
self quite tired. But the Lord showed me 
afterwards that the Holy Spirit had put me in 
charge of that love-feast, which I had not even 
thought of till afterwards. Although I had 
noticed, while standing, that some of the 
preachers looked astonished — almost offended 
at something, but they were held. The pres- 
ence and power of God was so manifested that 
but very few did or could speak unless they 
were helped and directed by the Spirit. It was 
at this camp-meeting that the JS'azarites were 
voted away from their camp-meetings and quar- 
terly-meeiings, the preacher saying, ''I have 
just been talking with a couple of sisters across 
the ground. If you will renounce Father 
Reddy, as you call him, then yoii will be wel- 
come to come."' But they said, •' to renounce 
Father Reddy would be to renounce Jesus, and 
we cannot do that." Two of the women one 
day fell in the altar; one lay still, but the other 
one was so burdened for the state of unbelief 
and fear, that she wept, and groaned, and 
screamed, while the preachers, some of them, 
seemed vexed — almost mad. That evening 

Brother W exhorted, God began to bless 

him and others. They began to rejoice. Soon 
one of the Nazarite Sisters fell in the altar. 
The preacher stopped — was tried and became 
ashamed of the noise. They soon closed the 
meeting and fled to their tents, taking away 
even the last — last light, which was upon a tree 
back of the altar, leaving the woman with the 
crowd around her all in the dark, until a brother 
got one from the tent. It seemed to me like 
"crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting 
him to an open shame. '' 

LED BY THE SPIRIT. 

I was once exercised and led in a similar way 
in a Protestant Methodist quarterly meeting 
love-feast in Wayne county, in a school house, 
in what was called "York Settlement," in 
1862. The house was closely crowded. I took 
a seat with my back to the congregation, near 
the door, but soon found myself uneasy — out of 
my appropriate place. I arose and soon after 
spoke a few words and fell partly down in the 
crowd. But when I arose I was kept standing 
all through the love-feast. Although almost an 
entire stranger, I stood, taking the oversight of 
the persons, who talked, saying frequently, 
"Lord bless her. Lord bless him." I think 
five persons fell in that love-feast, while I was 
set laughing at times. One woman, while pass- 
ing near me to the sacramental table or bench, 
as she came opposite me fell, her head onto my 
lap, over a bench, just as I was sitting down. 
I held her head in my Rands a half minute, per- 
haps, when she arose and went on her way to 
the supper table. I understood that she felt a 
little mortified that she fell onto me, a stranger, 
but I never had an opportunity to say anything 
to her, I believe, but have wondered many 
times at such exhibitions of God's power and 
His designs, so many instances of the same 
kind. Once, while sitting on the front seat, 



40 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



two women were thrown on me. One of them 
onto my lap, and the lap of a brother sitting 
beside me. I did not move. One, her head 
onto my lap where I sat on the ground at a 
camp-meeting. She had been jumping and fell 
backwards. 

GRUMBLING DEVILS. 

At one of the Bergen camp-meetings I was 
awakened just at break of day, by the Spirit, with 
the following words and tune, to be sung out on 
the ground — was told to rise, go out and sing. 
Everything seemed clear — I was very happy, 
but a slight thought that some might be tried. 
But I arose, went out, took my position, not 
a person moving, all silent over the whole 
camp-ground, rather cool, wrapped my shawl 
around me and sung : 

" I soon shall quit this house of clay, 
And leave this earth for glory; 

Clap my glad wings and soar away 
To that bright world of glory. 
O glory.' O glory! 

There's room enough in paradise, 
For all a home in glory. 

A line or two sung, brought the shout of glory 

to God from Brother G , in his tent, then 

others, and still others about the ground waked 
up, happy in God, ready for service. I was 
joined by several brethern before I had sung the 
second verse. About three verses sung, and 
we took another position for two or three rounds 
more, and then moved to another, by this time 
the camp had taken fire of early praise. I then 
went back to my tent and lay down again with 
such peace and "^heavenly charm, there seemed 
to be singing in my breast, a tremulous sensa- 
tion — ^^ Melody in your heart to the Lord,"— 
with a clear intimation that something adverse 
was coming. After, a little, in came Brother 

R , one of the leading preachers, with a 

dark scowl on his bare brow, as if he had wak- 
ed up cross — came where I was sitting, on the 
side of the bed, and said: "Brother Reddy, 
(impatiently) what makes you go out and sing 
and disturb people." I said, because the Lord 
told me to do it, and if it has disturbed the 
devil in you, Im glad of it. The scowl in- 
stantly left his face, and with a humble and 
subdued tone, he said: "Brother Reddy pray 
for me, you know more about the devil than I 
do; " I pulled him down to me. kissed him and 

said, I will pray for you Brother R , God 

bless you; I love you. He started to go back 
to his tent, but turned back to me, took me by 
the hand and said : ' ' Now will you pray for me, 
I want you to." Yes, I will. He went out, 
but turned, came to me the third time, saying 
the same words. If the birds — a robin had 
sung thus early, would he have thought it was 
the devil or the Lord that told the bird to sing 
as soon as it was day. IVfen and women too can 
get along without grumbling much about thun- 
der, or the thundering of cars and railroad whis- 
tle in the night or early morn, because they 
cannot control or dictate, but where men or wo- 
men are led by the Lord, it finds these grum- 



bling, fault-finding, popish devils in somebody 
— even in Ministers. 

I found myself here, at one time in meeting, 
with the annoyance of what is called the row- 
dies, or unconverted ; I did not feel well, I saw 
others too did not feel satisfied with their at- 
tempts to regulate others. The next morning 
early I was led up to the cross, for I did not 
know as I could keep if I should make a prom- 
ise. But I took my pencil out hardly knowing 
what I was going to write, but marked the fol- 
lowing resolution, viz. : 

A vow TO GOD — A CURE. 

I promise before and to the Lord this 6th day 
of March, 1868, that I will not find fault with 
anybody in meetings or out of them, with saint 
or sinner, nor with myself, but will seek and 
find the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, and 
let Him take the care of me and of them and 
all else. Alonson Reddy. 

I hesitated a little about putting down my 
name for want of confidence in myself; the 
devil, too, kept saying, " you'll do or say some- 
thing before you are aware of it. ' ' But when 
I had signed my name in black and white, and, 
according to the laws of the Medes and Per- 
sians, that altereth not. Then I found I had 
the confidence, and the devil soon ceased his 
clamor. I then read it and after a little the man , 
preacher and wife signed it, and others after- 
wards. I soon had eight names to the paper. 
One preacher of a very discriminating mind, 
whose wife had signed it, .said: " That's a very 
strong t;oio, I'll look it over." So he took a 
copy, but I presume the caution or prudence 
would not let him do it afterwards which kept 
him from doing it now while its first light was 
on him, and postponed. I said to him, we can- 
not bind ourselves too tight to be kept away 
from the devil, he said, " No, thaVs triie,^^ 

DOGGED BY THE DEVIL. 

Some four or five years ago, while four of us 
were on our way to a camp-meeting, passing a 
small house near Franklinville, Cattaraugus 
county, we stopped to get a drink, and found 
a child two or three years old, given up by the 
doctor and all to die of inflammation on the 
lungs, and brain too, for four days unconcious, 
looking every hour for its last breath, now 
stretched across its grandmother's lap. I fell on 
my knees, my hand on his head the other hold 
of its hand, said nothing intelligibly to others 
aloud; a clammy sweat from the head attached 
to my hand and he was becoming uneasy. I 
arose and left the house suddenly without say- 
ing anything to any one for a mile or more as 
we drove on our way. But I soon found the 
devil along side the wagon like an ill bred dog, 
barking to provoke attention and quarrel, say- 
ing to me, " JoM need not think that child will 
get well — you did^nt pray enough.'" But I 
said, ^'You know better or you^d not be so un- 
easy. About five days after we found the child 
ivell on our return homeward, praise the Lord I 



PURITY OF THE BODY. 



4] 



CHAPTER VII. 



PURITY OP THE BODY. 



God designed and planned by the atonement 
and the Gospel of salvation by faith to com- 
pletely and fully remedy the evil and conse- 
quences of sin ; to restore man to the image of 
God, wherein he was created in righteousness and 
true holiness. Not by the observance or keeping 
of any law — for if there could have been a law 
given which could have given life, then right- 
eousness, salvation would have been by law. 
But God proposes to save without stipulating 
any conditions, for the former covenant was 
on conditions which they failed to meet. " So 
I regarded them not," saith the Lord, "But I 
will make a New Covenant, not according to 
the former covenant, which covenant they 
break. ' ' But this is the covenant, viz. : " I will 
write my laws in their heart, and in their mind 
will I write them, and their sins and iniquities 
will I remember no more. " Now here I wish 
to remark and not be misunderstood, viz. : that 
this new covenant God has made, is without any 
condition on which it is offered, there is nothing 
more to be done. God has made this new cove- 
nant and announces "He will pardon and change 
man's flature." If man loill do just nothing — 
stop thinking I must do something. No ; simply 
credit what God said, consent to His doing it 
now, hold still, believe! He is doing it now, 
don't do anything, not even doubt it; believe 
what he says, viz. : ^^ It is the accepted time, it 
is the day of Salvation. " Glory to God ! He 
just told you what he was determined to do, and 
nothing but a want of the consent of the will 
which credits God, can prevent it being done. 
This is God's method of salvation. Don't hin- 
der Him, don't prevent Him, but believe that 
ye receive the things that ye desire, and ye shall 
have them. 

God intends to purity unto himself a peculiar 
people, a pure people — pure as Jesus is pure — 
the thoughts pure, brought into captivity to the 
obedience of Christ. The reason, the will, the 
memory, (not treacherous) the imagination, all 
these attributes of the Spirit/ownd again in God. 
The passions and affections of the soul cruci- 
fied ,then purified, not left under the influence 
even of sin, but pure as Adam — as pure as 
Adam before he sinned. 

No excitement, except as God that dwells 
within, sees proper to excite either the passions 
or affections, for these are not created by man's 
being a sinner, for Adam had these, Jesus Christ 
had these. It is only with the unsaved that they 
run wrong, but God controls them where He 
lives in us. The most of religious people, even 
those claiming to be sanctified, are afraid to 
trust either their affections or their passions. 
Supposing that here above all others the devil 
holds on longest, and that we never can be 
proof against the devil in this respect. That 
we must shun the appearance of evil, as they 
say, even in our affections as well as the pas- 
sions. Suppose, for an illustration, you say to 
a fond mother you see caressing her child, "Are 
you not ashamed? You ought to shun the ap- 



pearance of evil; the devil has got hold of your 
affections; you are heing pit shed over the line, 
there is danger of loving too much. And where 
your love is so ardent and difficult to restrain, 
be sure there is danger — there is the devil." 
No, not so; lavish your love on your offspring, 
mother, yea on anybody you love', don't be 
afraid, the devil is not in it, and devils cannot 
get into love. 

It is God inspiring your heart. God loves yo'u 
and wants you to love too, like Him; don't be 
afraid, give full vent to your warmest feelings 
— let them be gratified to the fullest extent; 
God made them for gratification, and they will 
increase in strength by exercise and indulgence. 
This is what ails the world, there is so little of 
this loving; the heart is too cold. Look at some 
old bachelor, some old maid, how cold they 
look, how cold they appear; some of them 
would almost feel guilty and ashamed to be 
known or seen kissing even a child. They 
are so chilled by selfishness and unbelief, but 
little freshness and cheerfulness in their counte- 
nance or appearance; it would take several 
very warm meetings, and a good warm society 
to warm them up, so that they would stay hap- 
py and act easy and natural, as if they had got 
home again. 

The body also God purifies by his sanctifying 
grace, so that there is virtue in even the touch. 
Devils understand this better than Christians do 
now-a-days. A maniac or one possessed of de- 
vils does not like to be touched by any body. 
They are extremely careful in coming in con- 
tact with other bodies; hence the devils drive 
them into the wilderness or grave-yards among 
the dead, whose touch would not effect a change 
upon them, as would the touch from rational or 
civilized society. The man out of whom Jesus 
cast a legion, over in the country cff the Gadar- 
enes, it is said ' ' He wear no clothes, neither 
abode in any house." The devils did not want 
him among his friends or relatives, lest their 
sympathies should touch the poor sufferer, and 
thus tend to break the power of devils on mind 
and body too.^ I am led to speak at length on 
this subject, because it is so little understood 
and much less believed ; and yet it is a subject 
of such vital importance that devils wish to 
keep it concealed. ^ Only a few of even those 
that have the care and treatment of the insane 
have discovered this trait of character in them. 
The extreme sensitiveness of insane persons 
confirms this. Devils are hid under this outside 
insanity — are the cause of it, and wish to keep 
concealed, and have the cause traced to some- 
thing else. Another proof that devils are here 
is this : the nearest and most intimate friends 
are generally afOtc?ec? and apparently hated the 
worst of any. Now this sensitiveness of touch 
in those who have evil spirits in them, from 

*Maclam Gtiyon said she had noticed in her experi- 
ence that invariably when she came where there were 
persons possessed of evil spirits, that the evil spirits 
departed from them, and all she would be conscious 
of was a " desire to relieve them.'" And thus she called 
this " casting out devils.-' Jesxis said, " I cast out de- 
vils by the Spirit of God."' Again " by the finger ot 
God." 

(6) 



42 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



those who have not, is equally acute and even 
distressing on the part of those who have the 
Spirit of God dwelling in them. One sister be- 
sought her cousin at a camp-meeting not to 
allow her to he touched, if she should be slain 
by the power of God again, especially by any 
unconverted person or. unbeliever, "for," said 
she, "when I was examined — my pulse, etc., 
by the doctor," (as she found afterwards,) said 
her arms were lame for several days where he 
touched them. One brother said, when slain in 
a barn in a love-feast, he lay there some hour 
and a half; that during the time his left foot 
was touched or run against two or three times, 
and each time the most dreadful sensation 
shocked his body, the entire length, that he ever 
felt, while his right foot was rocked back and 
forth carefully and slowly, two diflferent times, 
with no unpleasant sensation like the other at 
all. The clear impression on his mind was this, 
viz. : that in the last case the rocking of his 
right foot was done by an honest inquirer after 
truth, to see if the body was stiff. While in the 
other case of the left foot was either a careless 
blundering of some one moved by the devil to 
strike and annoy the person, or else it was de- 
signed by the person whose mind was full of 
prejudice and unbelief, who was tried with such 
manifestations and wished to disturb the sub- 
ject, and thus their had spirit, and the touch of 
their had bodies too, was detected by the person 
thus refined by the power of the Holy Ghost, 
and its bad inspiration was transmitted by the 
touch, A preacher was conversing in a family. 
Presently the spirit impressed the brother to rise 
lay his hands on the sister' s head, who was yet 
sitting at the table. • She moved her head after a 
little ; the brother did not speak, nor any one ; 
but after a year or more was asked why she 
moved her head. She said she began to feel 
her strength leaving her, as once before she had 
when the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost 
came upon her and she lay some time, and that 
she did not want to lose her strength and fall, 
A sister sitting in a meeting charged as a bat- 
tery by the power of the Holy Ghost. Another 
woman, diseased in body, came, laid her hand 
on the sister's head. In a few minutes said she 
was healed. The sister, I believe, was not able 
to move, but she felt that virtue went out of 
her. 

It is said that handkerchiefs or aprons touched 
the bodies or hands of the Apostles Paul and 
Peter and^carried to the sick, and diseases de- 
parted from them, and evil spirits went out of 
them. Jesus put forth his hand and touched 
the leprous person, and he was made clean. He 
also laid his hands on the children and prayed 
for them and blessed them. 

Peter's wife's mother, he touched her hand 
and the fever left her, and she arose, &c. It is 
doubtless owing to this personal touch, partly, 
and the power that attended it that gave such 
unparalleled success to the labors of those few 
Gallileans — men and women. They were filled 
with such love to them that thejfelt they must 
touch them, and I fancy that in most cases if 
they had a fair touch, they had them away from 
the devil. This purity of the body, as well as 



the spirit and soul, is what God does in and for 
them that believe, and the touch of those that 
harbor the devil in them, is like iron or sticks— 
they hurt. The touch of a little child is always 
soft and pleasant before they have become 
wicked and ugly, where innocence has fled. A 
brother, at the close of a meeting, took a sister 
by the hand to bid her good-bye, who had lain 
slain on the carpet for an hour or more. Her 
hand seemed cold as a corpse; he took her 
wrist with his other hand, and immediately fell 
by the touch, A brother' s hand was taken by 
others standing by where he lay slain, by the 
power, his hand being stretched out as if to 
shake the hand, a text of Scripture was given 
appropriate to each case, and he said that there 
was a deep sense of purity in one case. 

It is frequently said, when treating on perfec- 
tion, that we can' t have the perfection of angels 
nor the perfection of Adam, before he fell, for, 
say they, his knowledge was perfect. Well, 
Paul speaks of our being renewed in knowledge 
after the image of Him who created him in 
righteousness and true holiness. ■ What ? be in- 
finite in knowledge. No ; only what God wants 
us to know, and only what God will teach, and 
only move where and as God moves us. A skep- 
tical preacher was standing by, with many oth- 
ers, where a woman lay on the ground^ soon a 
young woman came hopping and jumping 
around him, her eyes being closed, he thought 
strange of it, and withal, it seemed to annoy 
him a little ; he moved on the other side of the 
company, nothing being said by any one, but 
she was making the circle around the preacher 
again, he then moved to the third place and 
she was soon on that side surrounding him 
again. He related it to me and said, I thought 
strange of it, for I know she did not see me; 
but she is a good girl. 

. Here is a sign, a miracle — God moving and 
controlling even the body, mind and all the 
movements of a person, so as to convince 
and convict of something supernatural, of 
God's immediate agency. What is religion 
worth if there is nothing supernatural connect- 
ed with it ? Just nothing. What efforts are 
made by preachers to show the divine origin ef 
religion by a reference to the histoiy of the 
signs and miracles wrought in connection with 
its representatives,^ But almost in the same 
discourse will disclaim almost everything of the 
kind now, saying, it is not necessary now. But 
the truth is, we need it — all generations need to 
witness something supernatural, or they will not 
and cannot give God the praise and the glory 
for anything that is done, even our conversion 
must have this, or the devil will have us doubt- 
ing its reality — its divine origin. It must be 
something we feel within, and some change 
which we could not have effected for ourselves. 
Then we can praise the Lord. 

God wants to get us into circumstances where 
we can witness his wonders and miracles. He 
wants to do it. He brought the Israelites to 
the Red Sea, into apparent trouble — the moun- 
tains on each hand, the Red Sea before them, 
and the Egyptian hosts — their enemies — behind 
thelni. They were straitened to the last. Then 



PURITY OF THE BODY. 



43 



they saw and acknowledged God's agency, and 
sang his praise. 

• God it was that brought the ^' church " into 
the trial of their faith by Peter being in chains 
between two soldiers doomed to be executed the 
next day. It is said that "prayer was made 
without ceasing unto God for him. ' ' And God 
sent down an angel who smote him on the side 
and raised him up. His chains fell off from his 
hands, and he was led into the street and the 
angel left him. But he soon found the church 
(not meeting-house) where they had been pray- 
ing for him, and they had more faith than they 
were aware of, for " they said it is his angel." 
I have no doubt but God would make miracu- 
lous manifestations frequently among His people 
now, if there was such a union of Tore and in- 
terest in each other' s welfare, and in the success 
and triumphs of Christ. I say God wants to — 
yea, seeks an opportunity to meet the demands 
of the human mind for something supernatural 
to give it rest; that here is God's agency] that 
He is a living God. Young converts are led to 
pray for this confounding, convincing evidence 
that God lives; and they rejoice exceedingly 
when any such manifestation is made as evi- 
dence of success; and they are not choked, as 
some say, with this strong meat, as it is called, 
as some older in years of profession are. In- 
deed they regard this as the elemeniary princi- 
ples of religion. The supernatural, the mirac- 
ulous, so essential to a genuine religion, is 
what young converts and true believers regard 
as the advantage which the Christian has over 
the natural man, or the mere philosopher who 
is obliged to view everything and every event 
in close relation to fixed laws, — yea, even God 
Himself is controlled and bound by them so that 
He can't do contrary to them without tearing 
His universe to pieces. 

The laws by which the planets are governed, 
and the ordinary process of nature, as it is 
called, is only the ordinary or usual mode by 
which God controls or works, as a mechanic. 
A carpenter for instance, commonly begins at 
the sill to frame his building, yet he can begin 
at the rafters or the braces first, and arrive at 
the same end. The one great purpose of God 
is, to impart to others, His creatures, happi- 
ness, and make Himself known as the immedi- 
ate cause and agent, whatever may be the 
instrument He employs, to accomplish this end. 
And hence can turn water into wine without 
the process of going through the grape vine, 
and thus impress the guests with the fact of 
miracle — supernatural. 

He could and did appear in the midst of the 
disciples, when the doors were shut. He did 
" vanish out of their sight " — walk on the sur- 
face of water, and so did Peter, until doubt, the 
offspring of fear, obscured from his vision the 
immediate presence and attributes of God. He 
could translate and change men, mortals, to 
heaven, and cheat death and the devil, the 
author of death, out of their looked for tri- 
umphs. And through faith, or by faith he can 
take more the same road to heaven. One thing 
is as easy with God as another, ^'Se moves 
with equal ease a world of matter or a single 



grain.^^ He did and can again mal^e a furnace 
of fire as pleasant to the body as a warm hath. 
Fire did not give the martyrs pain except they 
shrank through fear or unbelief. One of the 
martyrs while burning, his flesh nearly burned 
from his bones, said: "Look here, you Cath- 
olics, you have wanted to see a miracle, here's 
a man almost burned up and not a particle of 
pain." God lives and he can chang^or suspend 
the property or law of fire; can send an angel 
and shut the lions' jaws; can take a Christian 
man out of prison, chained to other men, pass 
by guards and wards, through iron doors and 
gates, and not even wake them up, but hold 
them in sound sleep, and command the doors 
and gates to open and shut without noise. 

The only reason why a cannon ball does not 
fly with the same velocity, even without stop- 
ping after a mile or two, or stopping at all, is 
not because of the gravitation and the resist- 
ance of the air, for these acted just the same 
when first it left the cannon's mouth; but from 
this fact, viz: the power and force that first 
started it in motion did not follow it only to the 
cannon's mouth; had it continued to follow 
with the same force, the ball would never have 
stopped, notwithstanding these counteracting 
forces. 

Now, instead of the planets 'moving from the 
necessity of laws, as is said that govern, it is 
God's immediate presence and agency — yea. 
His Power that pursues — upholds and controls 
all these movements; and everything that has 
action or motion is immediately moved by some 
visible or Spiritual and invisible agency, good 
or bad, mind as well as matter, except God 
himself, who is independent alone, so that we 
may truthfully look for the agent's design or 
purpose in everything that moves or is moved, 
for the design of God or the devil ; and moved, 
too, with a specific design to accomplish the end 
had in view. Hence, God designs in His econo- 
my of grace, by the agency of His Spirit and 
other good agencies of men and angels, to 
destroy and counteract the works of the devil, 
in every plan ; in every cross ; in every move 
of His Church on the earth; and on the other 
hand, the devil and his angels, like him, bad 
of course, and wicked men, moved and employed 
by him, are doing what they can to counteract 
and overthrow God's plans to bless and save 
man. Here, then, is the warfare, viz : between 
God and the devil — no fellowship ; it is between 
good men and good angels on the one side, and 
bad men and bad angels on the other side. 
Not as some say, that the warfare is in the 
breast of a Christian. No, not so ; the Christian 
has renounced the devil and all his works, and 
whatever he finds about him or in him that is 
like the devil or unlike God, he at once sets 
against it and seeks its removal. God is doing 
what He can, invisible as He is to angels and 
men, to make Himself known ; but is discovered 
only in His real character and His essential 
attributes through the light and principle of 
faith, because He is a Spirit and cannot be seen 
by angels or men. Jesus said " He that hath 
seen me, hath seen the Father." Again, Paul 
said " Now, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, 



44 



NAZARITE THEOLOGT. 



Invisible, the only wise God, &c.," and certainly 
if God is invisible, then Jesus means that those 
who have seen Him, have witnessed an exhibi- 
tion of the perfections and attributes of God: 
" The glory of God in the /ace of Jesus Christ," 
such as can Toe seen in no other. ' ' No man 
knoweth who the Father is, save the Son, and 
He to whom the Son will reveal Him." 

Some great manifestations are recognized as 
from God, but He is in small things as well as 
great — is in very small things among us — right 
about us in our thoughts — in our words. The 
Holy Spirit is here and brings the Scriptures to 
our minds to instruct, to enlighten and guide 
us, for which we do not give him credit. He 
suggests a thought timely, which, if it was 
believed and followed promptly, would have led 
us out of danger and avoided temptation; and 
for want of this faith, many a person has gone 
under the shadow, and a long time has passed 
belbre they have come out; perhaps the thought 
to go in secret and pray has been suggested, 
but a little delay, or the Spirit not believed, 
the devil has got away the light, and when they 
have gone to their closet in their own conven- 
ient time, they have not got the victory. 

One old man, at a certain camp-meeting, got 
the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost upon 
him, went home, and would find it upon his 
body; but, from the bad teaching and warning 
against Spiritualism and Fanaticism he was 
afraid it was " that awful influence ' ' upon him, 
and he would get up and try to get rid of it. 
But a brother acquainted with God said " that 
is the power of the Holy Ghost, I wish I had 
more of it." A sister once praying for the 
power in family prayer, began to feel a prick- 
ling sensation on her shoulders. She thought 
to herself ''is this the power." She said the 
Lord departed at once. She tried to get it 
back, but her unbelief had grieved the Spirit — 
the Dove — and he was gone. 

EXEMPTION FROM PAIN. 

A person fully restored would not be sick, as 
many are, nor have the amount of pain as when 
not sanctified soul and body. We hear of but 
few instances of sickness among the early Chris- 
tians. And even Paul (bachelor as hie was,) 
gives a very strong hint at least of exemption 
from pain of the mother giving birth to chil- 
dren, if they were holy and were in the faith. 
Strange as this may seem to some, (see 1st Tim. 
xi. 15.) here are his words, viz.: "Adam was 
first formed, then Eve ; and Adam was not de- 
ceived, but the woman being deceived was in 
the transgression, nevertheless she shall be saved 
in child-hearing, if they continue in faith and 
holiness with sobriety. ' ' ■ 

The devil is the author of pain as well as 
"having the powder of death." But when we 
are fully restored — refined soul, body and spirit, 
perfected in the faith, in ?oue— then the devil 
is held at hay. 

One sister was so happy under the power of 
God that she had no pain, and did not know 
when her child was born. Another I knew was 
so happy that she shouted at intervals before 
she was hardly conscious why she was doing so. 



Another sanctified mother gave birth to her 
child in the fore part of the day, but she could 
not he confined; she had to get up and be about 
the house as usual. But towards evening, yield- 
ing to the fears and advice of friends she lay 
down, but was soon taken with such a headache 
that she had to stay up until the usual bed time, 
then retired with the rest of the family, as 
though nothing uncommon had taken place — 
with no bad results. Such are the blessings and 
advantages secured by the atonement for our 
race, possessed and enjoyed by many, when 
they seek and obtain ' ^ the fullness of God,^^ 
without even always asking for them. One sister 
asked the Lord to release her from her monthly 
ills, that she might work in saving souls, and 
still have health, and it was granted her as 
long as she was doing that exclusive work. 
Another mother said she would as soon give 
birth to a child as to have a tooth extracted as 
to the amount of sufiering. The curse inher- 
ited by sin, was, '' I will greatly multiply' thy 
sorrows and thy conception. In sorrow shalt 
thou bring forth children, and thy desire shall 
be to thy husband and he shall ricle over thee." 
Unsanctified mothers are to have and do have 
more children (unless by dishonesty with God, ) 
than those just right with God. The pious, 
praying mother of Samuel was in reproach by 
the fruitful and hearing mothers, because she 
had no children. She asked her (jod for a man- 
child, to take away her reproach among women. 
She promised him to the Lord forever. She 
seemed more concerned for God's honor, the 
maker of all, to confound these infidel mothers, 
than she was for the company of her owh child ; 
she gave him to the Lord as soon as he was 
weaned. (1st Sam. i. 22.) 

Zach arias and Elizabeth had no children un- 
til they (or he) prayed for that blessing. The 
angel said: " Thy pra^/er is heard, and thy 
wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son; and thou 
shalt hdivejoy and gladness at his hirth.^^ (See 
Luke i. 13. ) But the priest had prayed so long 
— so many years till he thought it too late — im- 
possible; and in unbelief, said: "How shall I 
know this, for I am an old man, and my wife 
well stricken in years." And Elizabeth said: 
"Thus hath the Lord dealt with me to take 
away my reproach among men." Thus God 
gave answer to prayer. But these, Samuel and 
John the Baptist, were not sons of Belial; al- 
though they were of the flesh they were not 
born after the flesh, but after the Spirit. They 
were different from other children because of 
the promise, and God's special blessing on their 
sanctified parents, A miracle in both cases, as 
it was with Isaac, Abraham, and Sarah, the 
progenitors of the first visible and organized 
Church on the earth. 

If God should see fit to give us an intimation 
(as he did to Enoch,) of our translation, with 
such a refined nature of hody, soul and spirit, 
the words of the poet would hardly be out of 
place or untrue : 

" Our souls the line or change would scarcely know, 
While saved in Jesus' blood." 

Again, I've asked while singing the following 



FANATICISM USED UP. 



45 



lines, did the poet really believe in the transla- 
tion of the body now, when writing this last 
verse of the hymn : 

"And soon or later then translate 
To my eternal bliss." 

Again another: 

'• Let life immortal seize my clay, 
Let love refine my 'blood.'''' 

Preachers and poets teach purer trnth and 
better doctrine than they will receive from 
others, especially from those of less advantages 
in their estimation. When men get into the 
region of inspiration, and get a discovery of 
what God has provided for man, they sometimes 
hand out truth which they would question or 
fight, if it came from others. There is little 
danger of our believing too much. God's love 
and wisdom and his goodness has no bounds; 
" He is able to do exceeding abundantly, a&o^"e 
all that we ask or think, according to the power 
that worketh in us. ' ' But such an advantage 
has Satan gained of the church (so called,) that 
they cannot believe such good things of God, who 
spared not His own Son, but gave him up for us 
all. How shall He not with Him freely give us 
all things, surpassing all thought. The Spirit is 
grieved — how Jesus would rebuke this unbelief 
and hardness of heart. When the common peo- 
ple do begin to believe the whole Bible, and 
God the author, "more than we can ask or 
think," then the Pharisees say, " This people 
who knoweth not the laio are cursed: or else 
they try to make law of the New Testament. " 
The letter of the new killeth as well as the old, 
but the Spirit giveth life — liberty. " My yoke is 
easy, my burden is light." 

FANATICISM USED UP. 

A brother T , while attending a camp- 
meeting in Illinois, said for several days of the 
camp-meeting there could be found no liberty 
for preachers or the people, but he kept praying 
silently for the Lord to lay some plan to break 
the spell and power of the devil on the meet- 
ing, pledging that he would do anything He 
told him to do instantly. Very soon the sug- 
gestion was in him, ^'■Pull off your coat and 
throw it up into the air and yell with all your 
might.''^ He did so, and the congregation burst 
into a roar of laughter. The spell was broken 
on the meeting by the power of God descend- 
ing with the coat, and the people made free 
onward through the meeting. 

Here was a stratagem or device, so to speak, 
of the Holy Ghost, and by his being obeyed in- 
stantly, without stopping to reason. It sur- 
prised the devil as -well as the people, and took 
them (under his control) from doubt and hesita- 
tion. The novelty and simplicity of the plan 
— its sudden execution — turned the scale, and 
the tide run the other way afterwards. Here 
was the guidance of the Spirit. The brother 
had not time to "go to the Bible " in order to 
" iry the spirits,'^ as so often quoted. The 
Holy Spirit is not here to be ^^tried,^^ but he 
has come to be obeyed and to comfort the obe- 
dient. He has come to manage — to plan and 
carry on this war — not even to follow exactly 



some plans which he may have used and been 
successful heretofore, and recorded in the old 
war-book, the Bible. But he is present to de- 
vise and to adopt plans for present circum- 
stances. Devils are too experienced and skilled 
for men or for any old plan, unless the Spirit 
seize it; hence the necessity for us that the 
Spirit use us and not we devise and then ask 
the Lord to bless the means — come to our terms 
instead of us being servants and He the proprie- 
tor. 

Devils are intent — cannot be diverted by 
money, bonds, mortgages ; by cattle, sheep and 
horses, as men can be diverted, even in times 
of revival, by these considerations. God is try- 
ing to get man in earnest to be saved — himself 
first, and then to save others, at least as much 
so as devils are to destroy, torment and ruin 
man who has 

" A never dying soul to save, 
And fit it for the sky." 

But devils have nothing to gain but the grati- 
fication of dominion over men, — of tormenting 
and making them rebels like themselves, and 
consequently wretched. They can have no hope 
as man has to stimulate them, but are moved 
with envy and malice, because a Saviour has 
been provided for man and none provided for 
the fallen angels. It is said " God spared net 
the angels that sinned but cast them down to 
hell and delivered them into chains of darkness 
to the judgment of the great day. ' ' * 

Another plan of the Spirit which uses up 
fanaticism, was by the same brother who threw 
up his coat. It was at one of the Bergen camp- 
meetings. A young preacher sitting about with 
his shawl pinned about his shoulders, in the tent 

of brother T , (the coat-thrower, and his 

brother-in-law;) he suddenly grabbed the young 
preacher by his ankles, dragging him feet fore- 
most the length of the tent, laughing heartily 
as he came along with the preacher by the legs, 
saying, " M — , Jesus told me to do it; he will 
show you what it is for." The preacher said 
not one word, but sat on the carpet for an hour 
perhaps, then after making some vows, being 

, while 



helped and searched out by sister R- 
a few words were uttered in prayer by another 
preacher for him, he fell. The next meeting, 
in the stand, he was heard to make the follow- 
ing confession, viz. : that five or six months 
before God called him to leave the church and 
go out as an evangelist — hold meetings under 
the special guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, 
and he had not obeyed the Lord; that he had 
professed sanctification when he did not enjoy 
it — would feel impatience sometimes, and was 



* Not that holy angels were once in heaven and 
committed sin there, as most people think and teach. 
There could be no sin there. It is not, it never was, 
nor ever will be, a place of probation or of trial, but 
everywhere in the Bible heaven is represented as a 
place of reward for the good, for the righteous. Jude. 
verse 6 : " They kept not their first estate but left their 
own habitation.'" That was their sin, viz.: the not 
minding their own business — staying at home where 
God had placed them [on trial, of course,! but kept it 
not. They followed their ow7i will instead of consult- 
ing the will of their Sovereign — their God; they went 
to see what others were doing, and hence their sin. 



46 



l^AZARITE THEOLOGY 



not so conscious of his loss till now. This is 
another instance of the guidance of the Spirit 
without knowing what it was for (like Abra- 
ham offering Isaac) till afterwards. 

One sister was told in the meeting to go back 
and walk the length of the house through the 
middle of the seats, stepping over the back of 
each. It was such a cross, she asked the Lord, 
• ' Wliat is it for? ' ' The answer was this, viz. : 
< ' To confound the devil. ' ' And it did, for the 
power came on the congregation, as she stepped 
off the last seat, shouting and laughing, and 
praising God. 




DE WITT BAEEB. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



A CONFESSION OF FAITH. 



I am writing for the Lord. I am set about it 
by His special direction. I have to write some 
things which will not be relished in print by- 
some religious people, I am certain. But by- 
others it will he welcome truth. I could not 
once have admitted (for want of experience and 
light from God, ) what I nowfirmJy Relieve, viz : 
that the Spint of God does lead some of those 
who are wholly sanctified and made pure of 
men and women into a 'pure sexual commerce.^ 
for one or more of the five following reasons or 
considerations, viz : 

First — God does lead some thus to let them 
know the purity of those who are fully saved — 
fully restored (from the fall) to the '^Image of 
God, wherein they were created in righteous- 
ness and true holiness." See Eph. iv. 24. 
Also Col. iii. 10. 

Second — God does sometimes lead thus to 
draw out and expose the jealous devils who 
have found harbor in the mind and breast of 
companions and friends, the selfish, unsanctified 
and unbelieving. 

Third — God does sometimes lead thus to 
humble the pride, (see Isa. iii, 17, alsoxlvii, 2.) 
And to subdue the will to God, and thereby to 
perfect the faith as the children of Abraham. 



who did intend to '^kilV a man once, when 
God called him to do it, (although against the 
letter of the law of Moses and of cUl law but 
that of the will of God. ) 1st, as a test of his 
faith and obedience, 2d, to show him the extent 
of sufiering and the nature of the sacrifice de- 
manded on the part of God to redeem and save 
a world of sinners lost. 

Fourth — God does lead some thus (rarely, ) 
for the propagation of a pure species of the 
race unsmitten by bad tempers, by diseases of 
body, by jealousies, because of their pure 
origin, as Jesus, the son of Mary, and John 
Baptist, both born of holy and sanctified moth- 
ers. (See Luke, 1st chapter.) 

Fifth — God does lead some thus for the heal- 
ing of sexual diseases, more especially of 
women, many of whom are invalids all over 
this land (from various causes,) who are dis- 
eased beyond the reach of recovery from medi- 
cine, or by the most skillful physicians, or by 
any remedy, except God's own plans and by 
His Special Bemedies. 

A SuppLEMKNT. — I do firmly believe that it 
is in some cases wrong, displeasing to God thus 
to associate, even with the legal companion, 
especially where there is an entire want of 
union in the Lord. The unbelief, opposition 
and jealousy of the unsaved companion has 
already caused a divorce really in feeling and 
confidence. This would be selfish, consequently 
it would be '* adultery," (a want of love.) Yet 
this legal relation should be endured until a 
remedy is found in the Lord. Not by annuling 
the marriage contract nor by a bill of divorce- 
ment, but by the salvation of the companion, or 
by some other mode the Spirit of the Lord shall 
specially provide. Then it will be just right. 
But if none is found, then this legal relation is 
to be endured as the cross of Christ, and for the 
Lord's sake, through life. 

A. R. 

It IS admitted (see Fowler's work on Ma- 
ternity, ) that parents transmit to their offspring 
not only their physical, but also their mental 
and moral nature, constitution or spiritual con- 
dition, other causes having their influence. 
The praying, agonizing Hannah had a Samuel, 
and gave him to the Lord a true man and a 
faithful prophet. 

Samson was a Nazarite unto God, from the 
womb. The angel gave his mother a special 
charge ^' to drink neither wine nor strong drink, 
nor to eat anything unclean, (see Judges xiii, 
3-5. ) Hence' it is seen that Samson, Samuel, 
John Baptist and Jesus the Messiah, were neither 
of them contaminated by sin, and were each the 
only child of their respective and righteous 
mothers, who were "barren," (at least three 
of them.) A miracle in each case. Such is 
the ignorance and inexperience, because of un- 
belief among Christians or religious people in 
reference to some ways in which the Spirit of 
God leads some of those who are fully saved, 
that there has been many a genuine reformation 
interrupted and overthrown. The devil has 
got the advantage of the people in a way the 
least thought of. All has suddenly been thrown 



( 



A CONFESSION OF FAITH. 



47 



into confusion on the whole subject of religion. 
The confidence shaken in almost every one's 
honesty, because some have discovered what 
they call a little too much fondness and love 
among some of the brethren and sisters, or with 
the preacher, especially if they are led to greet 
one another with a holy kiss. And yet in 
some cases this mode even does not seem suf- 
ficient to adequately express the love and one- 
ness which the Holy Ghost, in His saving or 
sanctifying power, has given them in Christ 
Jesus to each other. As little children^ appear- 
ing to others "'silly in public," they have 
been led in a more private manner, and finally 
into a pure sexual commerce^ as the most ex- 
quisite mode in which God has designed us to 
express our love to each other. Signs of this 
union, of course, would soon be discovered, 
for ''by this shall all men know that ye are 
my disciples if ye have love one to another ^ 
Soon this jealous or envious sjiirit watching for 
evil (out of their own orbit,) must talk on this 
subject of interest. The honesty, the motive of a 
child of God is impugned. The public soon know 
all about the supposed — believed abomination. 
The preacher has to leave on account of the 
unbelief in regard to the moral character of this 
love and mode of expressing it. Notwithstand- 
ing all, the success of the preacher, as a man 
of God, and also the love God gave them to and 
for him — their unshaken confidence in him — 
not a doubt. This is noio all given up and con- 
tradicted. A few humble, honest disciples, will 
not give it up but that he was a good man; 
but the most they can do now against this tide, 
is to pity him. Others think (it may be 
they wanted to have it so before,) that he 
has been a "wolf in sheep's clothing" — has 
been a bad man all the while, and they try to 
account for the deep, thorough convictions 
and the genuine convertions on this principle, 
viz. : that God' s truth or word, although spoken 
by a wicked man, (as they now think,) has pro- 
duced this almost miraculous change in the sal- 
vation of so many souls. But the preacher has 
to flee, or is arraigned for trial, charged with 
" immorality,^ ^ (of course. ) He is suspended or 
expelled from the church. It must be kept pure 
— must wipe off the stain. The converts and 
others review and begin to doubt their experi- 
ence whether it can be genuine under such la- 
bors. They reason thus : "If the preacher has 
been a bad man all the while, or if he has now 
fallen right in the midst of the revival with all 
the helps around him, and with all his experi- 
ence and strength, how can I expect to stand 
— how can I conquer such a subtle foe, when 
such a veteran in the army falls ? Yet many of 
these, his spiritual children, love the preacher 
still but dare not show it now. And then, too, 
they have not the courage, the independence, 
nor the faith. Such has been the scene enacted 
again and again at different periods. Still the 
^^ mystery '' has not been solved or explained, 
or the church (so-called) become the wiser by 
the experience of the past, yet keep saying, 
"Jesus, our great captain, never lost a battle." 
Not so, for hundreds here are lost forever in 
hell, as the consequence of this unbelief, caus- 



ing such distraction and destruction of confi- 
dence by this successful strategem of the devil, 
viz. : belieing the work and leadings of the Holy 
Ghost and attributing it to the devil himself. 
And just here he tries to make people believe 
that Satan "is transformed into an angel of light'' 
and of late that of love too. What a lie! 

I now firmly believe where God had owned 
the preacher's labor, was in the salvation of ihe 
people. It has been the Lord leading them 
and not the devil. Yet they themselves are 
somewhat in doubt at times — not entirelv clear 
— but feel no condemnation— are blessed *all the 
while with the '^comforter.'' But the ^^ ac- 
cuser of the brethren," saying, " Thou shalt 
not commit adultery," throws them into doubt 
at times. And then, too, it is a new idea not 
foimd in books nor discussed publicly. Paul 
says, "If ye are led by the Spirit ye are not 
under the law," — led now to do the very same 
things for God, and by His direction Himself 
dwelling within them, which unsaved men do 
for the devil while he dwells in them and leads 
them. Here is the difference between right 
and wrong. The child of God— the Christian 
—has consecrated his all— his spirit, soul and 
body, with all the attributes, affections, pas- 
sions, functions and members, organs and senses 
to God, and pledges to use them to His glory 
when, where and in whatever manner God, the 
owner thereof, shall direct. 

But the unbelief and fear of singularity and 
of reproach among many of God's children, 
prevents the Spirit from leading the affections 
even as he would. And the passions, they are 
looked upon as a dangerous magazine within 
them — are afraid to trust themselves or the 
Spirit who is leading them, for fear it may be 
the devil or their own lusts, forgetting that 
" they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh 
with the affections and lusts; " that the child 
of God is dead to sin— yea, dead " Indeed unto 
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ 
our Lord." Not that the sanctified Christian 
has now no affections and passions left. They 
have both affections and passions, but they are 
alive in God nov:, and no longer under sin — 
" sold under sin." ' They are now pure as when 
man and woman were created, and can now be 
used and directed in a manner which will not 
injure themselves or others. "Love worketh 
no ill ta his neighbor." And more especially 
is it careful of those belonging to the family of 
God. "It doth not behave itself unseemly." 
Now, as God was delighted when he brought 
the creatures he had made before Adam '• to 
see what he would call them,'' so the same 
God of purity and holiness delights to direct 
and witness the exhibitions of this childlike 
simplicity and purity, which His Spirit has now 
wrought in them as well as for them who are 
^'•created anew in Christ Jesus." "See that 
ye love one another with a pure heart fervently, 
being born again." 

A TRAVELING PREACHER-A MYSTERY TO SOLVE. 

Here is a case of mystery to solve if God does 
not approve and lead into this intimacy and 
confidential association of His children. 



48 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



A traveling preacher in Chemung Co., whose 
labors were owned and crowned with success in 
the salvation of many souls during the winter. 
He came where he was accustomed to stop after 
preaching in the neighborhood. The daughter 
being one of the converts in mutual confidence 
and love with the preacher. She had lately- 
been married. The preacher being restrained 
from fully expressing his love till now, from 
the fear of consequences or of reproach, or 
of exposure, he took this occasion and had 
commerce with her, saying, " It won't be 
wrong. ' ' He continued to preach and travel for 
ten or eleven years, with revivals attending his 
labors every year. By the explosion of a lamp, 
the woman was so burned that in eleven 
days she died: she confessed this to her hus- 
band* and said, " God has forgiven me, and 
shows me if you will forgive and promise you 
will live with me, that He will heal me and 
raise me up. But the husband would not for- 
give. His wife continued extremely happy for 
a few days and died in triumph, a member of 
the church all the while. But the husband 
making known publicly, against the earnest en- 
treaties of his dying wife; it aroused the authori- 
ties of the church, considering always the church 
must be kept pure. They arrested the travel- 
ing preacher and expelled him from the church. 
Now the mystery to solve is this : Did God own 
him, bless him and others too, and yet he a 
wicked man, and in the service of the devil all 
these ten years ? 2d. Was the whole church so 
destitute of discernment — thus deceived by the 
devil too for those ten years, co-operating with 
him, supporting and thus cheering him on ? Or 
3d. Did the Lord convict him of this crime, give 
him repentance and then pardon this traveling 
preacher for this, and not call him like other 
sinners to make confession and restitution? Or 
4th. Was he a man of God all the while, ap- 
proved, led and guided by the Holy Ghost and 
not the devil, (even in this) and the Spirit lead- 
ing the church too, in their views and associa- 
tion with him in this ten years of success. If 
so, I ask, why expel this man of God, this man 
of such success in overthrowing the works of 
the devil? And the query is very natural. 
What manner of spirit is it that leads these 
members and ministers of the church to inter- 
rupt and expel this man of God, because they 
have now found out (to them) this secret. Did 
not God know all about this while in the midst 
of the various revivals in the ten years past? 
I know that in the light of Moses' law this is look- 
ed upon as almost the unpardonable sin, espe- 
cially for a preacher or a Christian; yea, looked 
upon by many as wor^e than murder; and yet 
these are among the most affectionate, sympa- 
thising and generous hearted, accomodating 
class of all that there is in society — not cruel, 
not extortioners, not selfish. How does the 
church appear expelling such a man after ten 
years, because they have found it ? Why not 
inquire of God, '■'■What does this meanV 

One case more. A local preacher in Orleans 
county, filling a place and pulpit, as pastor, for 

* She sboulcl have told him hefore. 



the time — the year; he was beloved by the peo- 
ple. God blessed and owned his labors. About 
seventy persons were converted and some were 
sanctified to God. Among them was a young 

woman named H ; she was an intelligent, 

sweet spirited woman. Her talents and testi- 
mony moved almost every body. But coldness 
at fii'st, then opposition, and next persecution, 
as always, against the holiness from the unsanc- 
tified, and but a few to sympathise with this 
pure spirit that were congenial. It drove her to 
the preacher and pastor of the flock for succor 
and sympathy. In a neighborhood where he 
had preached one evening, she left the bed 
where she was sleeping, with a young woman 
of the house, and went into the bedroom of the 
preacher, in the night. It was known soon, and 
reported to the church. The young woman de- 
clining to expose the preacher, she was told, "7f 
is your duty, as a member of the church, to be a 
witness, as other testimony can't be had, against 
such iniquity. ^^ Her conscience was appealed 
to, and it being tender, then she let her own 
light go and followed others' light and counsel. 
The preacher was arraigned and expelled from 
the church, (and she, too, afterwards; they 
would not forgive her either.) The converts 
became a prey to the devil, and afterwards 
doubted their own experience, notwithstanding 
their clear convictions and conversion to God, 
the demonstrations of the power in their meet- 
ings; some were slain by the power of God, and 
the meetings detained till twelve o' clock at night. 
Now these strange leadings are connected with 
and do accompany the deepest work of the Spirit 
of God. But it is all laid to the devil, and the 
fuss this unbelief has made has destroyed more 
souls and converts, than these persons can make 
an atonement for in all their lives. It is not 
the devil but God who fills people, converts, 
with love. If we love one another, God (not 
the devil) dwelleth in us; and His love is per- 
fected in us. I do now firmly believe that it 
was the Spirit of God which led that sanctified. 
Christian woman to the preacher'' s bed. 

'^ Horrible .''^ Men professing Christianity 
and ministers too, to give credit to such 
abominations. That it is the Spirit of God that 
leads a young woman to leave her own bed in 
the night and go to a preacher's bed, and yet 
profess to be sanctified. Talk about a preacher 
being a man of God, and reformations attend- 
ing him every year, for ten years, and he com- 
mit "adultery" with another man' s wife, just 
married, and say it is religion; and try to make 
folks believe that it is the power of God that 
makes people fall ; and that throws a woman 
on a man or into his lap. What blasphemy! 
How the innocent cause of religion suffers by 
such ideas; how many stumble over this. How 
infidels harden themselves against God and His 
truth, because of these things. Men and wo- 
men go to each others' bed in the night, just 
like whoremasters and strumpets, and lay it to 
Ood; say, "the Lord sent me here." More^ 
likely the devil sent you, or else your own wick-^ 
ed and sinful lusts. I don' t believe a word of it.| 
But if you should say that the Lord sent yoi 
to the South, with a gun to kill all the rebels,! 



TRUTH SEEN, CALLED TO DEFEND. 



49 



you could in order to preserve our country and 
our pure government, I could believe that with- 
out a doubt. But the other is too outrageous; 
I cannot believe it; and now candidly say, do 
you positively believe such things? 

Yes, I do firmly believe all this, and more 
too, viz. : That the first woman that was ever 
made, God sent her, ^^ brought her to the 
man;" and she was naked at that — both of 
them. ''And they were not ashamed,^' be- 
cause they were both pure, and felt themselves 
in His presence as their Father, and they doing 
His will as His children. A. R. 

I never saw her; him I did see two or three 
times, but was never in their meetings. I heard 
of it near the time, and then took the general 
view of the case. But God has taught me since; 
and now holds me to make this record and tes- 
timony for Him. After giving me an experi- 
ence and teaching me, as He has for the last five 
years, trying as I have done, to account for 
some things of the Spirit, that it was peculiar 
to healing the sick, a discipline education 
by the great Physician, for doing His work of 
healing. But He has confounded much of my 
logic, and has brought me to this undisguised 
truth, and I must as soon doubt the existence 
of God and my own too, as to doubt what I 
have written. I know what I am doing, and 
what I am writing; I know the meaning of the 
words and terms I have used in this work, and 
understand clearly the import of each sentence. 
I have had the intimation of some writing which 
God was going to call me to before I had done 
icith We, of my own experience, life, or some- 
thing of this kind, but supposed it was re- 
served by Him for some leisure by imprison- 
ment,* I was shown this two or three years 
ago, that I would be called to defend this truth 
which I am now touching in some form; but had 
no idea then that I should be called to vindicate 
it in the book form. I am writing with a clear 
understanding, and in view of the unbelief 
which it will find, and, too, with the opposition 
and persecution which it and I shall meet be- 
cause of its neio and strange doctrines. I re- 
member Faust, who soon after the invention of 
the art of printing, while disposing of some of 
the first printed Bibles in the city of Paris, in 
France, he was suspected of loitchcraft — of 
being in league with the devil ; and had he not 
fled from the city, would have been seized, as 
his books were, and punished as a magician. 
The embellishments in red ink were regarded 
by the superstitious people as his blood. Such 
are the workings of ignorance, unbelief and the 
power of the devil over man and the world. 
Nevertheless I must write the truth, "■ whether 
men will hear or forbear." '• My way is (may 
be) full of danger, yet it is the path that leads 
to God." 

The path of duty is said to be the path of 
safety; true in my experience. I have no fears 
when I knoio I am doing God' s will, just where 
He places and directs me, then I am sure and 
safe from men or devils. 

* I am now, April 14, 1868, in Angelica prison, 
charged with vagrancy, copying this from pencil 
manuscript. 



•' The Lord is King, and earth enhmits, 
Howe'er impatient, to his sway ; 
Between the cherubim he sits, 
And makes his i-estless foes obey." 

I am led in the light of these things new to 
look into the past under my own observation, 
within the last thirty-five or forty years, (my 
acquaintance with the church. ) 1 think there 
have been more persons, and especially preach- 
ers, suspended and expelled for this aftfectionate 
and familiar association with the opposite sex, 
than for all the others put together. Now I ask, 
is it because Christians, and especially minis- 
ters, are more wicked, more lustful, who have 
found Jesus to be their Saviour ? This I do not 
and can not believe. 

Our affections and our passions are intimately 
connected. When our passions are moved our 
affections are frequently moved too. (One wo- 
man said she never loved a man till after she 
was married. ) And so vice versa, not because 
the one belongs to God and the other to the 
devil, as many think ; but we are moved upon. 
When God moves the passions and affections, 
then they are softened, benevolent, filled with 
good will towards others; (religion fosters both 
the affections and passions, God in us does it. ) 
But when they are moved by the devil, then 
they are hardened, selfish, willful and revenge- 
ful, (the devil in them does it,) so that a Chris- 
tian is known more clearly by his spirit than by 
words or actions. '* If any man have not the 
Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." This cri- 
terion is too much lost sight of. If a man gets 
angry and hates, he is 7wt a Christian; he can- 
not be and revile. Now, some of these affec- 
tionate and warm-hearted men and ministers 
have been led in this manner, and being con- 
scientious and tender, they have fallen into 
temptation and doubt — had not the perfect 
faith, and have gone under. One sweet-spir- 
ited, bright and talented preacher, (I knew him 
many years ago,) he had been led so some, 
(once or more. ) He became his own informant, 
went to his Presiding Elder, gave up his cre- 
dentials, saying, " God wants a better man to 
preach the Gospel than I am." They tried to 
get him to preach again, but he would not for 
some years. This was the devil's work, but 
the starting, I believe noic, was the work of the 
Holy Ghost, but he had doubted it, and so the 
devil crowded him off" the course to keep him 
from preaching the Gospel, because he charmed 
men with his spirit and power of eloquence and 
love. But some others have had a more per- 
fect faith ("by works is faith made perfect,") 
that would not shrink, thongh pressed by every 
foe. One I heard of was thinking to publish a 
book and vindicate the idea in some form, (I do 
not know his views, ) but was advised by some 
of his friends not to do it. So I see that some 
of these facts in various forms have been im- 
pressed on the minds of some — yea, of many ol 
God's people, before they were taught me; yea. 
many have been thus taught of God, and led, 
too, before they ever saw me, I find; but hardly 
dare know that it was the Lord, or if they dare 
think it, they would not dare speak it — yea, 
most of them would be ready to reprove the first 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



syllable on this subject, even those that had 
been so led themselves. (This I have seen — 
even to lie. ) So scarry is this path for the want 
of faith from God and in God. When the Lord 
first presented this sexual subject to me to write 
it and put it in this book, last summer, 1867, I 
was on my knees in a barn, in Yates county, 
alone. He gave me most of the foregoing 
thoughts, blessed me with His glorious presence 
and power, love and clearness of faith ; told me 
'' go in now and write it down. ' ' I said. Lord, 
I loill. I arose immediately, went in and 
wrote till noon the whole foundation of this 
subject. I had looked at it before, but never 
had direction before to give it to the world in 
writing. I was cautious— I knew in God and 
from Him it was true, but hardly admitted that 
the Lord wanted it public. I doubted if the 
world or even the Church could receive these 
sentiments now, and whenever I seem over- 
cautious or am tempted and threatened by the 
devil, God's Spirit— the " com^rier "—refers 

me to Brother H -'s barn on Bluflf Point, 

Yates county, and to the overwhelming evi- 
dence which He there gave me of His will,|con- 
cerning my writing and publishing this subject. 
" This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous 
in our eyes." He will take the responsibility 
and set His own seal on this truth; be His "own 
interpreter and make it plain to those that be- 
lieve Him and do His will, I am certain. 

The Lord holds me to speak in such terms 
that I shall not be misunderstood. I have 
thought to avoid coming so directly in contact 
with the education of the so-called civilized 
world, that the Christian Church even could 
not endure it now. But God shows me that 
the devil has had his almost undisputed sway 
or reign here in this secret haunt, and so secure 
in his possession that even in married life and a 
lawful indulgence, the "accuser" and usurper 
has lied them into a guilty conscience; have 
felt condemned, ashamed, as if some thing 
had been done for the devil, (I know from ex- 
perience,) and have found this word " carnal " 
to apply here — here where God who made us as 
we are (adapted) and has stamped this among 
the first and most holy and pure institutions 
found in all his wise arrangements. But now 
the devil sets up his satanic claim over the 
^liole — calls it '■^carnal.'" And many think 
that if they were holy, fully saved, they would 
have no passions to be excited or gratified, and 
this would be the highest point of virtue, and 
hence the celibacy of the Romish priests and 
nuns. I find it difficult to use language pitre and 
chaste and yet make myself understood. But I 
never use other than chaste language in com- 
pany or in writing. My mind is pure, my 
thoughts are pure, my hands and heart are 
pure. I can not — I will not defile either. M.J 
tongue also is pure. It is not " unruly," full 
of deadly poison, but tamed by the "sanctifi- 
cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth ^""^ 
not moved to "idle words," but I "have my 
conversation always with grace seasoned with 
salt that I may minister grace to the hearer," 
' ' for his good to edification, for the perfecting 
of the saints." 



I know from God that I shall be misunder- 
stood by many, and some may attempt serving 
the devil and think to take shelter under this 
new idea or doctrine. But God will show them 
up by the falsehoods they will have to tell, 
as many others have done, or by a dishonest 
concealment, being afraid it was not of God, or 
of reproach, or of the consequences. But those 
who have the faith of God, to them He will 
give the most satisfactory evidence that " what 
I write are the commandments of the Lord." I 
have known some who were called to this light 
of faith. They at last attributed their thoughts 
and feelings to the devil, called it temptation, 
went away and prayed for a victory over the 
devil, (as they tried to think because it took 
their all;) they have backslidden on it and on 
other kindred points, and they are now out of 
their sphere and appear like Noah's mourning 
dove without its mate. Others have come near 
— come in sight of it, and have been scared from 
it, anQ from God entirely by the fear of fanati- 
cism. A few have believed God, and like 
Abraham who staggered not, these have believed 
the Holy Spirit is a safe guide — consented to 
follow and prove Him such — obey Him. They 
are now free in Christ Jesus. ' ' If any man 
will do His will he shall know of the doctrine;" 
shall be able to distinguish ' ' My sheep, hear 
My voice, and I know them and they follow Me; 
a stranger will they not follow, but will flee 
from him, for they know (obey) not the voice 
of strangers." 

But the Church, and preachers too, have acted 
like cowards in many cases, to avoid scandal. 
Last fall I learned that they expelled one of 
their preachers among the ^' united'^ brethren 
for kissing one of the sisters — for greeting with 
a holy kiss, (a special precept found in five of 
the Epistles — four of Paul and one of Peter.) 
You may* love in word — "in tongue," — but 
when you express it in action, in deed and in 
truth, then the "innocent cause of religion is 
disgraced, because you do not shun the appear- 
ance of evil," when, perhaps, they did not even 
think of the evil; but the jealous or the envious 
they think of the evil. But charity (or love,) 
thinketh no evil. It believeth all things, 
hopeth all things. 

' ' Fervent charity covereth, hides, conceals a 
multitude of sins.''^ A very excellent local 
preacher, some years since, came from a happy 
meeting — happy himself — and, desirous to make 
everybody else happy as he was, stepped for- 
ward and kissed his wife. The hired girl 
said, "there, you dare not kiss me." The 
preacher, in a cheerful mood, stepped forward 
and kissed her too. The girl then turned and 
tried to shame the preacher. It soon got out, 
the church took it up, they had a church law 
suit out of it, and expelled the preacher from 
the church. This is one way the devil has con- 
trived to get rid of preachers. Especially of 
such warm-hearted, loving, happy men and 
women of God. 

A Squire's wife, at a camp-meeting near 
Auburn, brought up a Universalist, was sancti- 
fied in the tent. She arose immediately, went 
about swift, like a bird, and kissed every man 



TRIED TO KISS THE PREACUEE REPULSED. 



61 



and woman. She came too in the tent, filled with 
such love, she must give it expression in action. 
An intelligent member of the church in Lock- 
port experienced the blessing of perfect love at 
what has been called " The rainy camp-meet- 
ing," held in Niagara county some thirteen 
years since. Very soon after she was set free, 
her heart went out after the pastor in such love, 

she must see Bro. B . They soon found and 

conducted him to the tent. He sat by her side; 
she began to tell him what a present she had 
received — what a treasure she had found. Her 
heart grew with increasing interest for him that 
he might obtain the same blessing. Suddenly 
she was about to throw her arms around the 
neck of ^the preacher, to kiss him. But the 
preacher raised his arm to prevent the sister 
from giving sucK an expression of her love to 
him. She was consequently thrown into temp- 
tation; perhaps I was about to do wrong; and 
was soon glad that the preacher did j^revent 
her. What a disgrace it would have been if 
1 had kissed Brother B. (But she saw, after, 
that it was the Lord. ) Now here is a question 
to solve, viz. : Was it God who had taken full 
possession of the temple, who was now moving 
the affections of this newly sanctified woman, 
or was it the devil that had deceived her and 
was now pushing her over the line ? I ask a 
candid, direct answer. Do not evade the ques- 
tion — say, was it the devil or God — God of 
love.^ "If we love one another, God (not the 
devil) dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected 
in us." Here, now, is a person acting out the 
promptings of the new nature of love before 
fear or the thought has occurred to arouse her 
former education, and interfering with her being 
led by the Spirit, who has now made her body 
His "temple." She was now dead indeed unto 
sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. But the preacher, he seems alive 
yet, and seeks not the honor that comes from 
God, but that which comes from men. Jesus 
says, "How can ye believe who seek thus to 
shun reproach.''^ It was the Lord that first 
made and now had sanctified, who wanted her 
to kiss her preacher. Other pure and honest 
hearts and minds have had such feelings, but 
they have shrank — have lost the light and the 
love too. They have become the subject of 
temptations; have been the cause of others be- 
ing tempted to whom they have thus neglected 
to do the duties the Spirit has called them to. 
Soon no one could tell where the cause lay, or 
what ailed them, or how to get free. The op- 
position and unbelief in reference to Christians 
practicing those customs now, makes it a great 
cross sometimes, which almost spoils and 
grieves the pleasant and sweet spirit in which 
those things should be done. So that the child 
of God has to displease some brother or sister 
in the church ; if they please God in this regard, 
they are suspected of evil feelings or motives 
if they are thus led by the Holy Ghost, "i^ 
icill make division.''^ While the early disci- 
ples, united in Jesus, not only did greet each 
other with a holy kiss, but did also embrace 
each other — "hugged," in vulgar phrase — so 
dear were they to each other. 



" Their fears, their hopes, their aims were one, 
Theii- comforts and their cares. 

When we astinder part, 

It gives us inward pain, 
But we shall still be joined in heart 

And we hope to meet again; 
We share our mutual woes, 

Oui- mutual burdens bear, 
And often for each other flows 

A sympathizing tear." 

How the present church is padlocked to- 
gether. A very little will set them by the 
ears; a little whisper against one's character 
will make them fearful of the association. A lit- 
tle persecution instead of consolidating will drive 
them apart and make them avoid each other's 
society, in order to find a release from the pres- 
sure. Yet there are a few that will not be 
traitors, but seek and find 

That faith that will not shrink. 

Though pressed by every foe. 
Which will not tremble on the brink, 

Of any earthly wo; 
That when in danger knows no fear, 

In darkness feels no doubt. 

But some of God's people are saved beyond 
what they think they are. They are purer and 
can stand tests and trials, that they fear they 
could not endure, and can be led out safely by 
the Spirit, further than they have ever been, if 
they would only venture by faith, like Peter 
walking on the water. Jesus said, " Thou of 
little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt." Had 
he not looked to outward circumstances — at the 
wind and waves — he would have acquired a 
strength which he never had before, and a faith 
which laughs at impossibilities, " and cries it 
shall be done." Once I objected, in doubt, to 
the cross and suggestion to be led the second 
time in the same way at Lockport; was tiying 
to lay it to the devil. But the Spirit of the 
Lord referred me to Nebuchadnezzar, the king 
who was deranged seven years, threatening 
me if I did not obey Him, however delicate. 

SWELLING THE NOTES. 

To the devil's camp we've bid adieu, 
The alien hosts we still pursue, 
Enlisting soldiers for our King, 
Lost sinners home to God we bring. 

Choruf.— And above the rest this note shall swell, 
This note shall swell, this note shall swell, 
And above the rest this note shall swell, 
Oui" Jesus has done all things well. 

We preach, and pray, and sing our best, 
Assured of our eternal rest ; 
The Holy Ghost He still unites, 
And makes us all true Nazarites. 

Chorus.— And above the rest this note shall swell, &c. 

Worldlings can not endure this name. 
For it secures reproach and shame, 
But brings the glory down from God, 
On all who oer this path have trod. 

Chorus.— And above the rest this note shall swe 11, &c. 

Our Leader did despise the shame, 
Endured the cross— obtained a name, 
Above the shining hosts above, 
All this to show that God is love. 

Chorus.- And above the rest this note shall swell, &c. 



52 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



He's old "Apollyon " now in chains, 
He's soldiers claiming back domains, 
Taken from Adam and Ms wile, 
All pure again— Eternal Life. 

< 'HORUS.— And above tbe rest this note shall swell, &c. 

They heal the sick, oppressed with pain, 
Those gifts and signs appear again, 
As when Apostles— Maityi-s bled, 
<.'ast devils out and raised the dead. 

Chorus.— And above the rest this note shall swell, &c 

We'll soon be home, then war no more, 
Onr suflFerings and our toils be o'er, 
With Jesus sit to seal the doom 
Of rebels from that peaceful home. 

Chorus.— And above the rest this note shall swell, &c. 



CHAPTER IX. 



INQUIRY ANSWERED. 



The question may be asked by the candid 
inquirer, Why was not this sexual subject talk- 
ed and written by the Apostles and by the Sav- 
iour, if it is the work of the Holy Ghost, thus 
leading the children of God? 

I answer. The Apostles and early Christians 
had other issues and points of controversy with 
the Jewish people at that time, and these were 
all that could be endured. The first was that 
Jesus of Nazareth, whom they crucified, was the 
Messiah — the Christ of God. To confess this it 
cost life and all. 2nd. The Gentiles were now 
to be fellow heirs, and to have an equal right 
to the provisions of the Gospel with the Jews. 
God is no respecter of persons. This was 
the offence of the cross ; here the Jews stum- 
bled. 3rd. Salvation by Faith instead of 
by works, as they had inferred from God's deal- 
ings for the time ,• and their tenacious adherence 
to the law of Moses — watching Jesus to detect 
him in some violation of its precepts.— The Sah- 
hath and Adultery. When in one case, viz., 
the Sabbath, he referred them to what David 
did, and to what the priests did in the temple, 
and were blameless — that the Sabbath was 
made for (to serve) man, and not man (to serve) 
the Sabbath. In the other case, of Adultery, 
when the Jews were severe with the woman 
taken in the "act," Jesus took her part and 
helped her out of the hands of her accusers, and 
would not " condemn " her. Then, too, it had 
not come to the "fullness of time," for this 
sexual subject to be introduced, if indeed it had 
ever been presented to the minds of any of the 
early Christians as the will of God then; al- 
though they were all taught, of Jesus first, then 
of the Spirit, to love one another, ' ' with pure 
hearts, fervently. ' ' ' 'As I have loved you, that 
ye love one another." Then even they had no 
exclusive and selfish interests to serve, or gratifi- 
cation, but each to make others happy; but 
especially God's people; they had "all things 
common," "They may be one as we are 
one. ' ' This was and is the great object and end 
in view by the Gospel to get us pure; then keep 



us in t]i2t,t purity and oneness as the "body" of 
Christ, retaining each our individuality and 
personal identity, yet having in view the per- 
fection and happiness of the w^hole body. No 
schism, no discord, no selfishness in the affec- 
tions or passions, " but by love serve one an- 
other." "For all the law is fulfilled in one 
word, viz. , this : ' 'thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
thyself; " love worketh no ill to his neighbor; 
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. An- 
other reason for the delay of this sexual subject, 
or why it was not touched in words then, is 
this : the religious devils had not usurprd such 
almost supreme control over this once pure her- 
itage of God's msfiitt^ion as now. The Phari- 
sees, although corrupt and extortionate, yet 
none but the hypocrites among them could be 
charged as being adulterers. Then again, an- 
other reason I see is this: Fornication and 
adultery were the common and prominent sins 
of 'the heathen world. The change would not 
have been so clear to them ; so when the whole 
church came together at Jerusalem to " consi- 
der" about the heathen converts, circumcising 
their children according to the law of Moses, as 
the Jews had been taught, and practiced, (see 
Acts XV. 29,) they here summed up the whole 
duties, &c. of those converted among the hea- 
thens, in few words, viz: "These necessary 
things: that ye abstain from meats offered to 
idols, and from blood, and from fornication, and 
from things strangled, which if ye keep your- 
selves ye shall do well. Fare ye well." This 
decision of the Christian Church is an entire 
renunciation of the claims and precepts as well 
as the rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses, 
as a rule or law of the Christian Church, Jews 
and Gentiles, except it be said that fornication 
is included in the idea or precept against adul- 
tery; for there is no other precept of the law of 
Moses that is parallel, and I see that even this 
precept J so to speak of the Gospel, seems more 
like advice than a law or precept to be observed 
as a condition of salvation. For the Gospel 
offers and proposes to save without any condi- 
tions, only a preparation for its reception by 
repudiating sin, ' ' the devil and all his works' ' 
and service. '' Behold what clearing of your- 
selves — what indignation — yea, what fear — 
yea, what vehement desire!" Then a looking 
for and a hearty welcome of Christ — of God the 
author and giver of salvation. This is the neio 
covenant — not according to the former cove- 
nant which they break, and " I regarded them 
not, saith the Lord." "But I will write my 
laws in their hearts, and in their minds will I 
write them ; their sins and iniquities will I re- 
member no more." God was " reconciled " to 
man, as a rebel, a sinner, by the atonement 
made by Jesus Christ, who suffered, the just for 
the unjust, ' ' And man is ' ' reconciled ' ' to God 
by submission to Him as his sovereign, by 
repentance (which implies turning from sin) 
and receiving the Son of God as his Saviour, 
and as God' s provided remedy for the evils of 
sin. These may be called conditions, in the 
same sense- as eating may be a condition of liv- 
ing — having vigor of body. But to return from 
this digression : These heathen had been Idola- 



HELP FOR SCRUPULOUS CONSCIENCE BOLD PREDICTION. 



53 



ters, eating blood, or strangling the animals 
with the blood in them, thus doing for the grati- 
fication of the senses and fornication, for the 
devil was what made it sinful, and their taste, 
the appetite unchanged. " They that are in 
the flesh cannot please God." But when God 
changes and sanctifies these appetites and pas- 
^ons, and gives direction, prompts them by his 
Spirit, then all is right, just right- they are 
done for God. 

HELP FOR THE SCRUPULOUS COXSCIENCE. 

A Mrs. C — , an invalid, with lungs, liver, 
and female weaknesses, some from the age of 
fourteen, with other female ailments, tfec. She 
had become acquainted with God again, with 
the guidance of the Holy Ghost, while the 
cough and pressure on the lungs had returned 
in t^e spring of 1868. 

She dreamed one night that she was married 
again, to a young man it seemed at first ; then 
he seemed older than at first, some like an old 
man ; that she left him where was gathered 
quite a company of religious people, and went 
home and found him there on his knees, pray- 
ing for some persons who had purposed to kill 
him, that God would not lay the sin to their 
charge. He asked her to kneel down with him 
and pray ; there seemed some sick also about, 
and many surgical instruments, like — , and syr- 
inges, and others she never saw the like, had no 
name for them; she became ashamed of them, 
and wanted them out of sight, as they expected 
company — many of the relatives, she thought. 
He soon proposed a secret expression of love to 
each other; she had respect to him, and deep 
reverence — loved him, but it did not seem to 
be a natural love; but soon after this expression 
she thought his brother came and took away 
all those instruments of the doctors — that he 
did not seem to care or be very anxious as men 
of passion, but more as a duty of the relation. 
When awake she became satisfied that Jesus 
was the brother who took the doctor's instru- 
ments away as being no longer necessary for 
her healing, and also in its interpretation she 
saw the Lord's plan to heal her body, and the 
light to secure her conscience from the law of 
Moses. " They shall dream dreams." 

A BOLD PEEDICTION. 

^' He shall shew you things to come.'''' — The 
time will come when women will declare inde- 
pendence from the false delicacy, customs and 
laws which now keep them sufferers in a state 
of ''celibacy," (being not their fault,) will have 
courage even to ask to marry, or to be relieved 
by some man instead of doctors and medicine, 
taking God's remedy, (as other animals do,) 
reversing the " Breach of Promise ' ' idea by 
putting the shoe on the other foot, pledging not 
to expose the man who helps her; bid defiance 
to the law, (if any, ) to the poor master, " des- 
pise the shame;" nurse and take care of her 
own child ; tell no one how she came by it, (ex- 
cept like Eve with her first born.) '•'■Ihave got- 
ten a man from the Lord."' The nursing one 
would place her in her appropriate sphere and 
perhaps ''insure" to her permanent health. 



This would soon revolutionize public sentiment, 
and it would soon modify the stringent laws 
Avhich now make young men cautious, and 
which leads them to avoid, and in some cases 
Jiate or dread the female's intimate associa- 
tions in respectable life, and which crowds 
many of them into brothels or public dens, 
I abandoned of God, (nearly. J where they will 
j not be exposed. Rather pay their money and 
run the risk of being " smitten,^' than run the 
risk of law in more virtuous life, which compels 
them to marry or be imprisoned for ''breach 
of promise," hj 07ie witness. No person can 
be made to love by any law. "Love" is a 
kind of instinct from God, and is spoiled, is 
changed into hatred by coercion. It must be 
free — a voluntary principle. Talk about folks 
being "ruined;" many are ruined here, made 
wretched through life, when if (in most casesj 
they were let alone by meddlers, and by what 
is ill-named "Justice," they would work out 
happiness for themselves, as God designed all to 
be. Better have a kind of '^Benevolent Society' ' 
to help folks to get married, assist them in culti- 
vating their affections, in the development of 
social nature than to watch them with suspi- 
cion and jealousy, ready to " take up a reproach 
against his neighbor," or take advantage of a 
blunder they may make for the want of the more 
mature experience we may have acquired. 
And yet I know that this is even now ' ' an evil 
and adulterous generation," with its many 
"fornicators," prompted by the devil to lustful 
indulgence — in many cases mechanically man- 
aging so as to avoid detection and exposure by 
the consequences, if a natural course and God's 
order in nature was not perverted by this dis- 
honesty. Nevertheless, it is corrupting the 
morals of the young of both sexes; fostering 
the passions, yet alienating the affections, and 
thus making even them to hate and despise 
each other. Yet many pass off and are not des- 
pised so much if it does not come out to the 
public. But if God gives increase, if a child 
is born, then society is outraged, and they are 
made out-casts because of the disgrace — are 
made almost martyrs — a death by public opin- 
ion, mostly because of exposure, and yet I see 
that it is not as sinful in the sight of God as 
the sinful mode of concealment by '■'■infanti- 
cide,^^ of murders produced by abortion, and 
this, too, in married life. One doctor in T — — 
county was censured with about sixty cases of 
abortion, and ran away. 

SUPPLY AT HAND. 

There is so little acquaintance with the living 
God — His ways and works — that much that He 
does for us is attributed to the devil ; and then 
we avoid it as of the devil ; and many times 
make such a mistake as did a ship's company at 
sea, who had been out so long the fresh water 
failed; they had become nearly famished for 
want of the article; the salt water of the ocean 
would bring death, and thus was regarded as an 
enemy. They at last discovered a ship, they 
hailed and said : " We are out of water, give us 
loater!^' They were answered, "You are in 
the mouth of the river Amazon," which wa& 



54 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



pouring its stream one hundred and fifty miles 
wide of fresli water out into the ocean. The 
very thing needed — feared it as an enemy 5 they 
had not tasted it — they had but to dip and be 
supplied. So God the fountain of life, light, 
and happiness is about us, ready to supply all 
our wants. We have but to believe, to open the 
door, "Ask and receive, that our joy may be 
full," — to dip and drink. 

But we must come to a sense of want before 
we call for help ; straitened and pressed by guilt, 
or circumstances to make us call. 

HELP BY SNAKE. 

An African woman once convicted for a clean 
heart, she made a vow to God that she would 
go under a certain tree and pray three times a 
day, until she obtained the blessing. She had 
tried it some little time without finding it; one 
forenoon she became fearfully beset, as she 
thought, with the temptation, that if she went 
that day she would see a monstrous poisonous 
snake, but she resisted it as from the devil, try- 
ing thus to get her to break her vow. But still 
ever and anon the snake would be before her 
imagination. The hour came for prayer; she 
determined to keep her vow in spite of the 
devil. She went to the place, '.began to pray; 
soon the impression was so strong and truthful 
upon her mind that if she should now open her 
eyes she would see the snake. Her eyes came 
open and there lay the monster stretched before 
her. The first thought was to scream and flee, 
but then she thought, if I give it up now it will 
be gone forever not to be regained. "I'll have 
the blessing, snake or no snake." She closed 
her eyes to pray, but the victory had been 
gained — the blessing came. She sprang to her 
feet clapping her hands for joy, but the snake 
fled. 

Now here was God instead of the devil, it 
was God' s creature — His snake sent on a mis- 
sion to get and help this woman's will; to help 
her out of this '' slow and easy ' ' way — this 
growing-into-it system of salvation. And all 
that I can see that the devil had with it, or in 
it, if any thing at all, was to tempt her to break 
her vow — to yield to fear, and not go there at 
all then to pray. All the rest was the work of 
God. The Spirit of God told her she would see 
that snake, and it was not a lie. The Lord 
brought it for a test of her vow, will or fidelity. 
If she had given away to fear, she would have 
grieved him and subverted, thwarted the only 
plan, perhaps, ever laid for her complete salva- 
tion. 

The jerks, a test referred to in the fourth 
chapter of this work, was the whole of it the 
work of God and not of the devil, as some of 
the ministers and many of the people were 
tempted to regard it. I think I see for what pur- 
pose the jerks were introduced, viz., to confound 
the devil, who had got them in doubt as to the 
agent and author of the other exercise already 
among them. Peter Cartwright in his account 
of this camp-meeting, says : ' ' While we were 
in the midst of controversies about the strange 
exercises among us, there appeared another 
strange exercise, viz., the jerks." Here we see 



that the jerks appeared while they were in the 
midst of controversies about the other exercises. 
The devil had them philosophising upon these 
exercises — trying to comprehend them ; some 
were tried with what they had already. Then 
God sent another to be believed, not to be compre- 
hended, to settle and keep them humble; and 
designed to call forth their will on the side of 
God, and thus perfect their faith in His miracu- 
lous power and all pervading presence and 
agency. Man can never comprehend God or 
His ways. When at any time men think they 
have found out God and His way of working, 
and it becomes popular, so that preachers can 
make converts mechanically, or they look for it 
so every time, then God leaves and disowns it, 
and men have been left to run a dry machine. 
Four days' meetings, and afterwards "continu- 
ed" meetings, and then were called "pro- 
tracted meetings," because God (not man) gave 
indication and direction for their continuance. 
But when they were managed by men, after 
the pattern of God' s former arrangements, and 
they depended on men instead of the Holy Ghost 
as the author and efiicient agency to secure a per- 
manent reformation, then they were left of God. 
A soul made acquainted with God as the author 
and agent in his salvation, rather than the 
means used in his deliverance, will be likely to 
stand in the hour of trial all of the tests. When 
those who have only found a blessing instead of 
God, may have to go forward again at the next 
meeting, or the next winter — God's plans suc- 
ceed. 

An Irish Catholic, under deep conviction for 
sin, while praying for mercy, kneeling at the 
roots of a beech tree — he had a suggestion to 
his thoughts, ' ' get up, go kneel down by that 
old log ; " he obeyed and God converted his 
soul. This was the guidance of the Holy 
Ghost. 

The great fear of Fanaticism which has smit- 
ten God's people in this country, more especi- 
ally within the last eight or ten years, or less, 
because the old-fashioned life and power 
has been among us, (hence the devil must 
try to spoil it some way,) has made many 
of them afraid of God — afraid to be fully 
saved, lest, as taught, they might he led too 
far — that those nearest God are said to be 
(by these false teachers, these hlind leaders) 
in the greatest danger. What inconsistency. 
This is the old-fashioned Calvinistic caution — 
not safe to be too confident, must have a little 
sin to keep us humble— if we should get too 
holy it would make us proud; while to be fully 
saved is in itself the destruction of all pride, of 
fear, unbelief and sin of every kind. It is 
what saves even from fanaticism itself, if there 
is any such creature that can scare obedient 
believers. This bad teaching has hindered peo- 
ple from being blessed for fear it is not the Lord 
who has led them some and others more, into 
ways which they had not known. As the 
ancient people of God, they were led beyond 
the Bible, even obtain promises by faith. I 
ask, is it not as safe now under this dispensa- 
tion — peculiarily so of the Spirit, as it was 
then? Mr. John Fletcher says, "If because 



AFRICAN WOMAN AND SNAKE INHERITANCE REGAINED. 



55 



we have the letter of Scripture we must be de- 
prived of all immediate manifestations of Christ 
and his Spirit, we are great losers by that 
blessed book, and we might reasonably say, 
Lord, bring us back to the dispensation of 
Moses. Tny Jewish servants could formerly 
converse with Thee face to face, but now we can 
know nothing of Thee but by their writings. 
They received Thy glory in various wonderful 
appearances, but we are indulged only with 
black lines telling us of Thy glory." (Fletcher's 
Wonders of Nature and Providence, page 161.) 
But they were led by faith — they helieved it 
was the Lord and not the devil, for they had 
some spiritual discernment then, and power 
over at least some of the devils, if they were 
not all subjugated, until Jesus came. It seems 
to me that some of the loorst things which have 
been called fanaticism, and that has sb^uck the 
more conscientious with such a dread, is God's 
blessing to the Church of the present day in 
disguise, and is the whole of it planned and 
done by the Holy Ghost, for the very same 
reason that the snake was presented all the 
forenoon to the mind of the African woman, 
who was seeking a clean heart — was brought 
to get her loill. It may be all that snake was 
ever made for, viz. : To make that woman a 
conqueror of snakes, and devils too — not to be 
afraid when God calls. Then when the victory 
comes, is gained, then a perfect faith is se- 
cured, which now sees it was God's snake, that 
God and not the devil sent it. God can and 
does sometimes make even the devil to serve 
us. But there is always this difference, viz. : 
We can never love the devil, but I presume 
that woman, sanctified to God — thus pushed 
over this sand-bar into the harbor of perfect 
freedom— loved that snake whenever she thought 
of it; frightful as it looked at the time, yet it 
was sent of God to help her. So it is with 
most of these things that are called extremes, 
through which some of us have passed and been 
led, which has struck others with conviction. 
But the unbelief arising from the reluctance, 
the dread of reproach, the crucifixion and death 
to all makes them attribute them to the devil, 
as the woman did, until by a bold venture and 
perseverence brought her to know it icas the 
Lord. A monster so frightful. She had hardly 
admitted that God had control of the snake, 
and that she coidd not be harmed while obeying 
God. The Martyrs (some of them,) loved and 
kissed the stake to which they were soon to be 
chained and then burned to .death for Jesus. 
Just in this manner will we love (not detest) 
some of those things and ways which God has 
been calling some of his pure ones in, and oth- 
ers to make them pure, and thus to separate 
and keep them unspotted from the world. And 
not for themselves alone, but the Holy Ghost 
calls us to be soldiers. This war is aggressive. 
He wants us to conquer the devil in his own 
usurped dominions. Jesus Christ was obliged 
to go down into death and heU too, to conquer 
the devil, who had the power of death, (see 
Heb., ii, 14,) to take possession and make 
even death itself a blessing — a servant to all 
them who are redeemed from the curse and 



condemnation of the law, so death even is 
now classed with the blessings, viz. : '* All is 
"yours," &c. The devil had dominion by con- 
quest and by law over even the life of man. 
J esus' death bought it back again, and brought 
it and immortality to light. Just in this man- 
ner does it seem that God intends to redeem 
and take under his control again this now deli- 
cate, yet once pure sexual subject and associa- 
tion, by sending the representatives of Jesus, 
made pure by his blood, into this territory, to 
dispossess the usurper, so it can be used again as 
God at the first designed. The view generally is 
that God has nothing to do now by any imme- 
diate agency or designs, even in the procrea- 
tion of children — of the young — hence all is 
laid to natural causes or to the devil. This is 
the unbelief with which the devil has smitten 
the world at the present day. They used to 
ask God for children,' but the devil has got 
them to reason like this, viz. : It can' t be that 
the Lord would call me in a way to destroy 
my reputation and influence as a Christian; I 
can't expect to be useful except they have con- 
fidence in me ; it is not my duty to throw myself 
away. So, doubtless, he suggested to the woman 
seeking a clean heart. It can not be your duty to 
go there and pray and be bitten by that poison- 
ous snake, for then you can help nobody. But 
she obtained the greatest blessing this side of 
heaven just where appeared the most imminent 
danger, and, too, upon shorter notice or terms. 

INHERITANCE KEGAINED. 

Twenty-five to forty years ago the children 
of the devil annoyed camp-meetings and other 
religious meetings with their hideous yells and 
hoots, and screams in the woods and ways, being 
led by the devil to disturb and interrupt the 
worship of God. But fo, the last ten or fifteen 
years the devil has been nearly used up in this 
department, for God has set His people to using 
these very instruments for Him, supernatural 
gifts or signs, viz. : hooting, screaming, bark- 
ing, squealing, laughing, cackling and yelling, 
roaring, and growling, and howling, too, sighs 
and groan. And we hear but little of it now 
from the unconverted by way of derision or 
mockery. So it is with this subject of the sex- 
ual association ; God intends to sanctify it again 
— make sinners afraid to step on this ground 
for the devil, and instead of this doctrine en- 
couraging licentiousness, it will strike a dread 
of God's displeasure and of his presence, as 
with Moses when he saw the bush on fire and 
not consumed. The angel said, " Take off thy 
shoes, for the place whereon thou standest is 
holy ground." 

The devil has claimed almost entire jurisdic- 
tion here, and his satanic majesty, by usurpation 
and deception through unbelief has got it so 
cursed and despised by respectable society that 
it is nearly under his exclusive control now — 
away in secret, in dens of infamy and degrada- 
tion, so that the virtuous and even the Chris- 
tian dare hardly look that way, as being, as 
has been thought, almost invariably " the way 
to hell, leading down to the chambers of death." 
And anything of this kind done outside of a le- 



56 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY 



gai^ popular and respectable lineage, must ne- 
cessarily be associated in the public mind with 
the devil's work. But I now believe God has 
been trying for many years past to lead the 
Church — the sanctified — to take this out from 
under the devil's lies about it — take it under 
his direction, where it will be to honor God and 
make even the devil ashamed, as he has with 
these hoots, screams and laughs, take back the 
whole inheritance by these means and plans 
devised by the Holy Ghost in leading the 
saints, but not for licentious indulgence of self, 
but to honor God, and also under His special 
control and guidance in every instance, so 
soon as He can get them pure and saved from 
fear and unbelief to understand His voice, and 
be under His control. I have found some who 
were once among the brightest lights in all the 
land, by listening to the ''counsel of the un- 
godly," they have become so fearful they 
would do wrong, that they dare not do right. 
Such hesitation — so ''wise," or so "prudent," 
that God's ways and blessings were "hid." 
They first began to falter -ind doubt; they have 
become afraid of the awful power of the devil, 
(as they call it. ) that they cannot do the will of 
God and be led by His Spirit, being fearful of 
doing wrong. One sister of this kind, at a gen- 
eral Quarterly Meeting, who used to be blessed 
— slain by the power frequently — just as she 
was being led, while talking, up to the point of 
freedom, sf.id, "1 have been afraid of fanati- 
cism," and soon sat down under condemnation, 
having grieved the Spirit who was aiming to get 
her free. But these act like some scarey horse 
looking for something to be scared at. The 
usual remedy is to lead, or coax, or drive them 
straight up for a cure to the scarey object. It 
is distressing to see a good horse timersome, and 
trembling and afraid; so it is afilicting to those 
who are free and see such want of victory — to 
see their conscientious prudence; these who 
were once trampling on the devil without fear, 
ready to "take up serpents," or drink any 
deadly thing; "it shall not hurt them." They 
will have to become reckless, or they will never 
be free, and will have to be led by the Spirit 
into some of these very things the devil has 
made them dread so. Jesus, the great Captain, 
will put them in possession of this whole terri- 
tory and inheritance (not constant — a formalism 
— but by a special direction,) now so watched 
and guarded by Satan. When Jesus was bap- 
tized of John, coming up out of the water, the 
Spirit descended on him. That same Spirit led 
— Mark says driveth — him into the wilderness 
to be tempted of the devil, who had then " all 
the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them 
delivered by Adam and his fallen children." 
God sent Jesus, the second Adam, the Nazar- 
ene, to dispossess the murderous tyrant — put 
him in chains — recover the forfeited inheritance 
— place it back. 

" Ye who have sold for naught 

Tom' heritaee above, 
Shall have it back iinboTight, 

The gift of Jesus' love. 
The yeai" of Jubilee is come, 
Return, ye ransom'd sinners, home."' 



Just so the Holy Ghost is making aggressions 
on these "goods; " he is putting item after item 
into the possessions of the saints. 

OBJECTS or EXVY. 

The devil is envious and is seeking for the 
most refined and delicate things and persons 
which God has made in ail this world, like the 
lovers of money they seek the yellow gold dust, 
so Satan has moved on this principle. Some of 
the brightest minds have been sought and smit- 
ten with unbelief — darkened and ruined by 
infidelity. Also some of the most generous and 
noble hearted men have been ruined by intem- 
perance. On this principle icoman, the most 
refined and delicate of our race, has been by 
si'a made the most wretched and debased, yea, 
even loathsome. 

Again, the passions and affections, the most 
delicate parts of our constitution, and in the 
exercise of which God designed us to find the 
most exquisite delight and happiness, these, 
too, were envied by the devil, smitten, and 
have been made the source of the.greatest sor- 
row, and instruments of his infernal majesty to 
l^roduce the most extreme suftering, than any 
other part of our being. The very first effect 
of sin was shame, and the first attempt to con- 
ceal it was the sewing fig-leaves to cover, not 
the whole naked body, but "aprons," to cover 
the now most delicate parts, because they were 
the most deepiy smitten, showing that here, 
above all the other parts, was the greatest con- 
quest gained, hence here is the evil most keenly 
felt and seen. This now had become the cita- 
del where the usurper took his seat, bidding 
defiance to all attempts on the part of man by 
the observance of law or by philosophy, even 
to dispossess him. And so absolute was the 
control the devil had here that man can not 
check, or prevent wholly the inclination. And 
here more particularly ' ' God saw that man had 
corrupted his way upon the earth." From this 
hot-bed of fallen passions and affections sprang 
"every imagination of the thoughts of the 
heart; it was evil continually." ("Eyes full of 
adultery.") "And the sons of God saw the 
daughters of men that they were fair," &c. 
[See Gen. vi. 1 — 7.] Here was a prominence 
of their character — the devil revealed here. 
And God swept them all away; but eight per- 
sons, Noah and his family only, were found 
righteous before God. See the rage of these 
fallen passions described by Paul in his letter 
to the Romans, i. 24-27, and to the close of the 
chapter. They dishonored their own bodies — 
burned in their lusts, one toward another, 
men with men.'" " Their women also changed 
the natural use to that which is against nature; 
given up to vile affections." Nothing can stay 
this tide of unsaved passions but change — regen- 
eration — the sanctifying power of God taking 
back this delicate, this pure refined home and 
dwelling place of God, but now defiled by the 
devil. This is what God is after — take posses- 
sion, then crucify, then sanctify the affections 
and lusts, passions, desires, and place them 
again under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 
Then when He directs all will be right — just 



DELICATE PARTS. — NAZARITE SONG. 



57 



right Then the term carnal, as some apply it 
now, will be out of place, except with the un- 
renewed. But when the soul, body and spirit 
are restored to purity, " Renewed in knowledge 
after Him that created us, and the faith given 
which shows how to use them all for God 5 
when we can say with Jesus, our Master, made 
perfect as He is, Satan •* cometh and hath noth- 
ing in me, " then 

" We'll langh to scorn his cmei power, 
" WMlc by our Shepherd's side." 

I witnessed once or more, some of this holy 
mimicry of the devil's work by the poioer and 
leadings of the Spirit in family prayer, with 
their clothes all on, (laying like Elijah upon the 
dead child) and God did by the exhibition, 
'-'•ape'^ by love, without last and Jondness, and 
tenderness without selfishness, some of the 
adulterer^ s ways, the persons not knowing at 
the time the reasons for being thus led. But 
the husband being present, confessed soon af- 
terwards, to his wife and to others, that that 
scene (with others of kindred acts,) hunted 
him out, and brought him to promise God he 
would confess to her his adultery in former 
years. Here the devil got paid off, unexpectedly, 
in his own coin, and used up on his own ground. 

Samson, one of the Judges of Israel, and the 
first Nazarite of note, saw one of the daughters 
of the Phillistines, and said to his father and 
mother, ' ' Get her to me to wife. ' ' But they 
referred Samson to the laic, which forbid inter- 
marriage with heathen. But Samson said, 
" Get her, for she pleaseth me well." "But 
his father and his mother knew not that it was 
of the Lord that he sought an occasion against 
the Phillistines, for at that time they had do- 
minion over Israel. ' ' Here Samson's heart was 
turned toward this heathen woman, and "it 
was of the Lord," although contrary to the 
Bible. It is a question if Samson knew fully 
at the time why he was thus led out of the or- 
dinary path, liable to be found fault with by 
his brethren, who did afterwards say that their 
troubles were brought upon them by Samson's 
"strange course." So when the Phillistines 
came and demanded Samson of them, to bind 
him, they compromised toith the ungodly; they 
started three thousand men of their own army 
to seize and bind Samson, and deliver him into 
their hands, and thus to conciliate their ene- 
mies, rather than fight them, and save a brother. 
Sooner appease their anger by the torture and 
sufferings of one of their own kin, than to stand 
up straight and fight for the truth. But Samson 
seized the first thing at hand, the jaw-bone of 
an ass; " The Spirit came mightily upon him," 
(he had no written sermon;) "But with the 
jaw bone of an ass I have slain a thousand 
men." His cords were like burned flax, and 
he delivered Israel this time also, but in a man- 
ner they had not looked for. Just so the 
Modern Nazarites are to deliver the Church 
from her enemies. Here is the Nazarite song : 

1. " See Samson strong, the Kazarite, 
See Samson strong, the Nazarite, 
See Samson strong, the Nazarite, 
He hurst his bands and nish'd to fight ; 



Chorus : 

If yoxi belong to the Nazarite band, 
Now here's my heart, and here's my hand ; 
If you belong to the Nazarite band, 
'5rou']l di-ive this battle on. 

2. " His brethren came to bind him strong, [see Jud. 

His brethren came to bind him strong, xv. 12.] 
His brethren came to bind him strong ; 
Laid to his charge th' Phillistines' wrong. 
Choeus. 

3. ''He feared not all the Phil'stine bands, 

He feared not all the Phil'stine bands, 
He feared not all the Phil'stine bands ; 
Only on me lay not ' your hands. ' 
Chorus. 

4. " He mow'd whole ranks of aliens down. 

He mow'd whole ranks of aliens down, 
He mow'd whole ranks of aliens doA\'n ; 
With nothing but an old jaw bone. 

Chorus. 

5. " We mean to drive this battle strong, 

We mean to drive this battle strong, 
We mean to drive this battle strong; 
We want no coward slinks along. 
Chorus : 

If you belong to th' Nazarite band. 
You'll drive this battle strong. 

6. •• None but in^^ncibles need go. 

None but invincibles need go. 
None but invincibles need go. 
Who'll stand reproach and face the foe." 

Chorus. 

How few noio, even of religious people, 
would believe a person was led by the Spirit ol 
the Lord, if they should do just as Samson did, 
for instance, at Gaza, (see Judges xvi, 1-3) : 
He went into a harlot's house and lay till mid- 
night; the men of Gaza said, " When it is day 
we shall kill him;" but the Lord started him 
out at midnight, took him from the danger, 
gave him supernatural strength by the Spirit; 
so he took the doors of the gate of the city, bar 
and all, and carried them to the top of the hill. 
I guess that Samson the Nazarke must have 
been under grace, and not under the law. 
Moses wrote, prohibiting some things which 
the Spirit led him to do. Samson was made 
and chosen to fill a prominent and specific 
sphere, (none just like him) ; he judged Israel, 
and avenged them of their enemies, twenty 
years. He slew more at his death than in all 
his life; was doubtless misunderstood much in 
the time, as most of God's people are — a " pe- 
culiar people." But he filled up his mission, 
and has gone to his reward. So with the pres- 
ent Nazarites. 

Once more upon the law and its designs, 
viz., to show sin, condemn it, blame man for 
what he cannot avoid, viz., sin. While he is 
"in the flesh he can not please God," "can 
not do the things that ye would," (See Gal. v, 
17). Here is a reference (Ex. xix, 15,): Moses 
sanctified the people at Mount Sinai, and said, 
"Touch not the mountain, be ready on the 
third day," and "come not at your wives." 
Now this very prohibition would call the atten- 
tion and set sm to "work in the members;" 
for "sin, taking occasion by the command- 
ment, wrought in me all manner of concupis- 
cence," for "without the law, sin was dead," 
(see Rom. vii, S'). The law set the passions, 

' (8) 



58 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY 



the lusts (desires) in motion, so the will even 
can not control the sinner always, especially 
sinful /ee^mgrs, so " The evil which I would not 
that I do," ''What I hate that do I;" (See 
Rom. vii, 15-20). " It is sin that dwelleth in 
me." JVb law can cure this. Jesus, His Gos- 
pel alone. His blood, can purge the conscience, 
can cleanse the heart — the seat of sin — where 
the passions, enticing the Spirit, influencing 
the will to make wrong decisions. "For the 
flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit 
against the flesh, and these are contrary the 
one to the other, so that ye can not do the 
things that ye would. But if ye are led by the 
Spirit ye are not under the laio.^^ See Gal. v, 
17, 18.) 

SATAN USED UP. 

The preacher who was convicted by the 
laugh of the sister in the meeting, and laid it 
to the devil, finally obtained a clean heart in 
his granary; it came with that laugh. But he 
was tempted with oaths all the next day, (al- 
though he had never used a profane word iji 
his life, ) to admit it was the devil that had 
taken possession, sure enough, just as he had 
thought, instead of the Lord; no way left but 
to lie them out of it. So it is some times under 
the cross by the Spirit, They are tempted to 
think, as they always have done before, that 
their passions are never moved by the Lord at 
all, but always by the devil. So now the same 
liar besets the mind ; when God wants some- 
thing done in that direction, the devil sets in 
with doubt whether it can he the spirit of the 
Lord making them feel and act (outwardly) so 
much like the " licentious," or an *' adulterer." 
"Impossible" that God should make you feel 
and act so much like the devil's children, and 
yet it is so. And God's presence and blessing 
is so evident to our consciousness in connection 
with the witness of the Spirit, that the devil 
gives back and his temptations are foiled ; he 
feels that he is used up by it, and becomes 
ashamed, and reluctantly leaves the ground, 
— the field — to Zion's sons and daughters. An- 
other victory in this aggressive war; so much 
gained. 



CHAPTER X. 



CRUELTY OF FASHION. — A CASE OF SUICIDE. 



Before I close this work, I must say a little 
on another subject; and yet it is not entirely 
foreign from some things which I have already 
written. The land is full of bachelors, maids 
and widows. The most of them are living for 
themselves alone. Some of them would marry 
if they could, having all the inclinations and 
adaptation, as others have. But public senti- 
ment, the force and control of education, to- 
gether with the stringency of law in some cases, 
make it next to death when it must be known 
they have had intercourse with the opposite 
sex. Here is the proof. A widow woman in 
Yates county, not long since, committed sui- 
cide. She hung herself to the bed-post, after 



making two attempts before. The supposed 
cause was a large debt on her homestead; but 
the real cause, as she related to a confidential 
friend, was this: she supposed herself with 
child. The disgrace she must bear from the 
cruel tyranny of public opinion, the neglect 
and coldness from friends and neighbors, to- 
gether with the want of religion and the inde- 
pendence of mind to stand all this, crushed her, 
so that she chose death rather than life in view 
of the state of society on this subject. I visited 
her about four weeks previous to the act, on the 
next day after she had attempted suicide by 
taking chloroform, the doctors having taken it 
out of her stomach. I had heard that she was 
troubled about the debt on her place. By her 
consent I kneeled down by her bedside and 
prayed for her, and was much blessed of God 
— praised him that shte was out of hell. I sung 
a few verses and tried to encourage her to trust 
in God — that he could send somebody to buy 
her place. But I have seen since I was too 
hurried — took it from others instead of search- 
ing out the cause from her own lips. I believe 
she would have been saved from the deed if I 
had stayed longer ; found for what purpose God 
had impressed me to go there that morning. I 
would have encouraged herio brave public sen- 
timent on this subject, as did a young woman 

a few years since in A county. When the 

Poormaster came for the information as to the 
father of the child, she said, "I'm glad I've 
got this baby; I'm going to take care of it; " 
but would not answer any questions. So heavy 
is the disgrace attached by the public, the edu- 
cation and religious views entertained, and so 
severe is the law on young men, which causes 
them to avoid familiar association, cultivating 
a distance and coldness, many dare not trust 
themselves in danger of the law. And hence 
the many bachelors and the many brothels and 
places of prostitution, some of them licensed 
by law^ with their many inmates in degrada- 
tion, mostly or partly as a consequence of this 
wrong education and the want of sympathy, 
even from Christian society and relatives and 
friends, — worse in this country now than in 
many others. The celibacy of the priests and 
nuns, and the virtue attached to '^ abstinence^' 
from sexual intercourse by the Shakers, is an 
insult to God and to common sense, and is a li- 
bel upon the designs had in the sexual construc- 
tion of the race of man and womb-man, (wo- 
man.) The most unnatural and senseless views 
are entertained and advanced. All other ani- 
mals propagate their species. But a class of 
Catholics and the Shakers avoid, in sentiment 
at least, wholly, and many other religionists 
almost think it a crime, yea, that this was the 
first sin. So deeply has the devil smitten the 
world with unbelief in reference to human life, 
human existence, being a blessing from God, 
and God the Creator of all seen as the Author. 
Infidels have got an advantage of Christians 
where they have failed to maintain a little com- 
mon sense. Mormons have come with selfish 
monopoly, claiming a plurality of wives, be- 
cause they are able to maintain them. Then 
next the Spiritualists claim superiority over 



ABORTION AND MURDERERS — MURDER BY LAW. 



59 



God's religion by their "Harmomal System," 
(natural affinities, or by the *' spirits; " ) when, 
if God, the Holy Spirit, is recognized as the 
agent, and the church would claim again the 
gifts (miraculous) of the Spirit — consent to be 
exercised by Him — it would wonderfully weak- 
en their claims, and expose their counterfeits, 
and confound and use up the deception. Their 
claims to healing by the spirits, or by electri- 
city, the laying on hands, monopolizing these 
gifts and cheating the church out of her right- 
lul gifts ; while men, and women, and children, 
diseased and oppressed by the devil thus, but 
especially women, many are beyond help from 
medicine, or if they follow their instincts, God's 
remedy or His preventives, like other animals, 
then comes the dread of death by public opin- 
ion, which drives them to commit suicide, or 
else for help from murderers, to produce abor- 
tion for high pay. These are facts in secret, 
but here laid open 5 and so deep and universal 
is this bad spirit that older mothers will advise 
prospective mothers in this direction, so unwil- 
ling to fill their sphere and be what God made 
them /or, viz. : mothers. I was once sent for to 
pray for one of my neighbors dying, and she died 
while I was praying. Her voice and agony 
ceased together, — the young mother of one 
bright little girl ; but she was unwilling to be a 
mother any more. She took the poisonous 
tanzy, as* the doctor who was present told me 
that she confessed to him before she died. How 
many thus end an existence which God in- 
tended to be much longer, and end in happi- 
ness, to last forever and ever. Some doctors 
have made a trade, a business, in this, thus 
helping parents to murder their children — in- 
fanticide and suicide together. 

Public sentiment should be changed among 
Christians; they must take the lead and conse- 
quent reproach in this reform, and thus give 
relief from this pressure by the change of pub- 
lic sentiment, where most of the laws originate. 
And Christians, and especially some of the 
ministers, should cease their unnatural at- 
tempts and their motives to cheat God out of 
children, out of offspring in married life, etc., 
not be afraid to speak out properly, plainly, on 
this delicate subject, — declare that existence, 
human existence, is a blessing, and not act and 
teach as if it were a curse, and then manage 
to prevent existence. The Jews considered it 
murder for a young man not to marry after he 
became eighteen years old, if my memory be 
correct. But if human existence is not a bless- 
ing, and the fault be not ours, then let us 
annihilate the marriage contract and relation 
too, and hurry into Shakerism and Romish 
celibacy, go to building nunneries, avoid asso- 
ciation with the opposite sex, professedly. See 
the workings of this dishonesty among the 
heathen, in the city of Pekin, China, where 
is seen frequently in the morning infant chil- 
dren being devoured by the swine in the streets, 
or carried out of the city with the filth, some- 
times a dozen, and their women degraded, 
despised and made slaves of by the men because 
they are females; and also murdered by the law 
of the Emperor, because he considers them too 



numerous. If God had not intended us to love 
each other, and to be intimately associated, 
then He would not send by the mother two 
twin children, the one a male child and the 
other a female child. But He would have se- 
lected some families to raise the boys and others 
the girls. But we have become such judges of 
propriety that we must have a separate school 
for the females, and the utmost caution is set to 
guard and to keep them separate in other higli 
schools, so that when they come together they 
are embarrassed in each other' s company, hard 
to wear away the distance, and hence the coun- 
try is full of old-young folks or single persons. 
I have been told, also, that in the small village 
of Cazenovia there lives one hundred widows. 
Why this? Is it from choice? No; but from 
this coldness, for the want of love and confi- 
dence on the part of men mostly. It is for the 
want of a familiar acquaintance first, so there 
would not be a disappointment. Here is where 
originates most cases of divorcement. Jesus 
said, "For the hardness of your hearts he 
(Moses) gave you this precept," (viz.: divorce- 
ment.) Many a person has wished himself 
out of the world, arising from this disappoint- 
ment in married life — even tempted to commit 
suicide. 

Another cause of divorcements and dissatis- 
faction in this country, arises from the selfish- 
ness and jealousies that produce so much 
unhappiness in this world, more especially in 
married life. How many quarrels, how many 
murders, have sprung from this source? This 
fault-finding, dictating and attempts to control 
others contrary to their wishes, instead of re- 
joicing, glad to see others happy and doing all 
we can to make them so, and leaving them 
(companions) each one to judge for themselves 
what will and does secure that end. The males 
in almost every other class of animals exhibit a 
tenderness and attachment to the female, sel- 
dom if ever seen to quarrel or fight each other, 
and their attachment and fondness is usually 
mutual. But the present education and cus- 
toms tend to alienate the sexes among human 
beings — make them regard each other as ene- 
mies, and many feel in danger in each other's 
company, except their own companion, being 
taught that it is wrong to '^feel any union " of 
love other than a general respect for every one. 
This may account for the selfish indifference to 
the happiness and to the wants of others. Those 
who love can love every body, can love their 
own children and companions, and other's chil- 
dren and companions too, with the same heart 
of love, and in proportion as we give towards 
others the expressions of it will we be saved 
from that narrow, stingy, unsatisfied self 
which produces discontent, shakes confidence 
in others and in ourselves too, sets its subject 
in unbelief, first hating, then to back-biting 
others, and thus leads to a general state of in- 
fidelity and sin. I have written on this subject 
plainly. God has held me to this for the relief 
and instruction of many conscientious persons 
who have been at a loss to know what many of 
their thoughts, feelings and leadings mean and 
are given them, for they have sometimes been 



60 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



afraid that all was not just right within them. 
I have been consulted by some of these pure 
ones (men and women too) on some of these 
points, and I have given them such light as the 
Lord has given me to say in reference to the 
will of God and the manner of the Spirit's 
dealings now as adapted to the present state of 
things — the world and the church. Plans laid 
by the Lord, once made efficient, successful, do 
not prove a remedy; the folds of sin, and the 
devil's mode of enslaving, are now so compli- 
cated and "chronic" that God uses severer 
remedies. 

Paul the Apostle was consulted by some of 
his Corinthian converts on this delicate subject, 
(see 1 Cor., vii,) on some points where they 
had scruples. And I ask, where is the consci- 
entious Christian who has not had reasonings 
on some of these things which are not discussed 
much in public or in the Bible. Very few 
preachers are able from experience and from 
God to give safe counsel here, and yet it is a 
subject much thought of but little talked, even 
among the thinking class. The preachers them- 
selves at times want counsel, but they are 
ashamed to ask it ; they do not like to touch 
this delicate subject, unless with their most 
confidential friends or companion, but more 
especially are they careful not to speak about 
their feelings and thoughts outside of a legal 
relation or association, being fearful if they feel 
their passions move towards any one except 
their legal companions, that they must then 
" beware," that the devil is in that. Here the 
sanctified have halted, have hesitated, have 
shrank; they dare not believe and trust them- 
selves, dare not believe and trust God, who 
had sanctified them, soul, body, and spirit; 
crucified the afiections and lusts, (wrong de- 
sires.) They have come up here and gone 
back. Inexperienced teachers have said, "It 
is the devil," aye, "Satan transformed into an 
angel of Zove." Some men and women have 
followed this sanctified instinct, or this instinct 
of their sanctified nature, and have not only 
not been reproved or even censured by the 
Spirit who "reproves of sin," but approved in 
themselves and of the Lord. In some cases 
where they have been censured by others or 
arraigned and dictated by others' light and 
public opinion, their "faith has failed," and, 
like some when doomed to Martyrdom, under 
the rack or Inquisition, have confessed, doubted 
their own experience, and said, " Of course it 
is wrong. ' ' Some have been pardoned or turned 
out of the church, but others cast off. Others 
have looked on — have been made afraid of this 
dangerous rock, consequently they have charged 
this love to the devil. Some have said, "It is 
a loving, good-natured devil — Satan filling the 
soul, the heart, with love,'' — "entering the 
soul through the channel of love." This is the 
only way that they can, in their state of mind, 
of unbelief and will, account for some things 
that transpire in these last days. But when 
God is recognized dwelling within, and the 
'^reaV Holy Ghost as the Author of these 
things, it will open a new chapter on religious 
matters; it will clear up many mysterious things 



to the church in the past. It will open and 
reveal to us the mainspring of success and per- 
manency in every reformation, viz., love; the 
God of love in us, taking away our fears and 
doubts, so we are not afraid of Him nor of one 
another, lest it may be "Satan transformed," 
or that others are led by him. The God of love 
in us, making us love others as ourselves — as 
Jesus loved us — even to ' ' lay down our lives 
for the brethren. ' ' Then may it be said truth- 
fully again, " They were of one heart and of 
one soul." "That aught of the things pos- 
sessed was their own, but they had all things 
common.'" But most of the members of the 
present church know so little of love, and are 
so far from God, that they will not have 
patience and religion enough to give the subject 
even a candid investigation. There are so 
many spiritual dyspeptics, the stomach so weak 
that a little meat of religious truth, or experi- 
ence of "swine's flesh," (viz., the deep things 
of God, ) forbidden by the law of Moses, chokes 
them as soon as it would a Jew to offer him 
meat. Paul could not once, but after he ob- 
tained the faith he said : "I know and am 
persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is 
nothing unclean of itself, but to him that es- 
teemeth any thing unclean, to him it is 
unclean." Again: "Every creature of God is 
good, and nothing to be refused if it be received 
with thanksgiving. ' ' 

IMPOSSIBILITY. 

It is frequently said of those who talk on 
these deep things of the Spirit, and of these 
new ideas in experience, that they ' ' reject the 
Bible," that they are "pushed over the mark," 
that they are ^'■corrupt," that they are ^'■crazy" 
&c. Now, I venture the following statement 
as being true, viz. : No deranged or crazy per- 
son was ever seen to be licentious or lustful. 
Such was never known, for these reasons, viz. : 
When the devil gets hold of the mirid and 
controls it, as is the case in madness or de- 
rangement, he destroys all social feelings. 
They are cold and dead, even to friends. Such 
persons become distant and selfish, nerved up 
with will and hate. The idea of sexual asso- 
ciation would be repulsive, yea, revolting, to 
one possessed of the devil ; they would be angry. 
The licentious seldom — I think never — become 
deranged, but in self-abuse. Hence the incon- 
sistency of saying the person is deranged, crazy, 
and yet say he is corrupt too, at the same time. 
Another reason : It is the warm-hearted, affec- 
tionate, and the unselfish, who incline to famil- 
iar association. As soon as God gets us, then 
we love others. He warms us up and we be- 
come more social. Then selfishness is checked 
if not destroyed, and all our being, while Christ 
is in us, is turned to make others happy like 
ourselves, joyful in the Lord. 

A. REDDY. 

GENERATION — MALE AND FEMALE. 

The principle and properties of generation, 
God the Creator has, in his wisdom, placed in 
nature, in what has been called the ' ' The 
vegetable and animal kingdoms," "whose seed 



PRINCIPLE OF GENERATIOX — ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREX. 



61 



is in itself. ' ' In each of these departments in 
nature, there is a season, a fitting up process 
for generation. In vegetation, the grain, the 
grass, the flowers, the female is fitted, prepared 
for the reception of the male-seed for propagating 
its peculiar species. Fruit trees throw out 
their blows in their season; grain, grass and 
flowers do the same — male and female unite. 
Take the corn-field at the proper time or season, 
the female throws out her sign, exposes her 
delicate silk, proceeding from each kernel of 
the ear {the mother) to receive the blow fall- 
ing from the top, the generating and pregnating 
pnnciple, without which union there would be 
no grain, no fruit, as is proved by some kernels 
wanting in the ear, where the silk did not 
receive the touch of the top or blow falling; so 
it is in the animal kingdom : at her season, the 
female is awakened to this, and shows her 
peculiar sign, and God has adapted the male 
to meet this demand, this call. Then increas- 
ing strength and thriving is seen in almost 
every female animal preparing to supply the 
wants of ofispring. And unless this demand is 
met in season, while this apparently painful 
and uneasy state is upon her, she becomes 
sickly and emaciated, &c. Nearly so is the 
human animal, never so healthy as when bear- 
ing and rearing her young. And for want of 
tilling this peculiar sphere designed by the 
Creator, which is shown clearly in our con- 
struction, these many weakly ones are seen in 
the land, while young too; and from the 
distance and coldness between the sexes, foster- 
ed by the bad education and some injudicious 
laws, the evils of ill-health of many of the 
females originate in this country. Female 
weakness and other female difficulties, which 
judicious and honest doctors know their medecine 
and their best prescriptions cannot reach and 
cure, yet if they or we speak out plainly thus, 
then we will "offend against the generation of 
thy people." One doctor did this by even say- 
ing to the mother of a suffering young woman : 
" If Polly should get married she would get her 
health;" this greatly offended the young Miss 
when she heard of it. And yet, a doctor may 
talk, give advice, his opinion, it will be endured 
by most people because he is the doctor; but if 
God touches this delicate subject, by leading 
any of his servants to speak or to write the will 
of God plainly, then he is thought to be corrupt 
or out of his place or sphere, as if this whole 
sexual subject belonged to the devil and the 
doctors, that God and ministers were out of 
place to have anything to say or to do with it, 
showing clearly the unbelief which does not 
recognize God the author of being, of human 
existence; and hence the ingratitude for the 
blessing of offspring to "take away the re- 
proach," but now looked upon aS a burden and 
a curse. And this bad spirit is so prevalent, 
that many are ready to say: "don't bring us 
into reproach and trouble by cursing us with 
children!" or else God is not thought of in the 
matter; but thus the unbelief is driving them 
into a species of Atheism, yea, into dark, selfish 
and insulting Atheism. Is it not a wonder that 
God does not smite such unbelieving ingrates 



with idiots, with cripples, with hliiid or dumb 
children, or the disobedient parents with utter 
barrenness! Woman was made and designed 
to bear and nurse children, ( " she shall be called 
woman— womb-man, ) because she was taken out 
of man, ' ' [see Gen. ii, 23. ] ' 'And Adam called 
his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother 
of all living." [See Gen. iii, 20.] A great 
portion of the earthly happiness of our race is 
found in the society and rearing of children. 
How cheerless is earth with all its other good if 
there was no young children among us, and 
how unwilling parents and all of us are to let 
them go after they have been with us a little! 
Why, then, such an aversion to give such an 
existence? Why prevent such a blessing 
viz. : " The wife shall be as a fruitful vine, 
thy children like olive plants around thy table ; 
thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the 
Lord. ' ' [See Psalms cxxiii, 3, 4. ] But customs 
have changed; a cruel prejudice and selfishness 
has smitten the people, robbed families of chil- 
dren, that and some laws designed to protect, 
have robbed woman of much of her "earthly 
happiness; custom forbids her proposing mar- 
riage, and yet God made woman for and sent 
her to the man first, instead of man exclusively 
hunting and choosing his wife, as we have it. 
This has robbed the female, who is more affec- 
tionate, because of a finer quality than man. 
Some of the above things hinder marriage — 
multiply the difficulties in the way of marriage. 
I think I see a great difference now and thirty 
to forty years ago, in the loving, social and 
happy marrying spirit among the young and the 
older ones ; they become afraid of being cheated, 
become suspicious, a coldness and a selfish 
spirit, a want of confidence in themselves, and 
in eveiy body else suspicion ; hence suffering 
both of body and mind, both of men and women, 
because they are out of place. Hasten ye to it 
and to God. — Amen. 

ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREX — BASTARDS. 

These are terms used to designate that class 
of children whose origin or parentage can not 
be traced to a legal union, witnessed and sanc- 
tified by some magistrate or minister, and they 
are looked upon with contempt, and are made 
to feel (silently it may be) the influence of pub- 
lic opinion and of the bad education and preju- 
dice which shows its meanness in despising a 
child for what its parents have done. This 
class of persons are looked upon as inferior to 
others, and are treated sometimes with incivil- 
ity and coldness on account of the circumstances 
of their being; and by the religious part of the 
community are watched to discover some signal 
marks of God's displeasure on them. (I am a 
witness of this mistake, ) of body or mind, be- 
cause of the supposed insult and crime in the 
sight of God, as it is made to appear in the 
sight of the people and of the law of Moses, so 
deeply rooted and embodied in our present edu- 
cation and training, (worse than to destroy in- 
fants — to murder. ) But so far as memory serves 
me, I have never known a cripple or a mute, 
nor a. fool, nor a blind person, (that was born 
so,) of this class of children, but they are gen- 



62 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



erally of a bright intellect, sprightly and active, 
but sometimes appear, because of ill treatment, 
like the slaves of the South: — underlings or out- 
casts. Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel, 
was of this class of children. [See Judges xi, 
1, 2.] His brethren drove him from his home 
and said, " Thou shalt not inherit our father's 
house because thou art the son of a strange 
woman." But in after years, when they were 
in. trouble, then they sent the Elders after Jeph- 
thah to be their captain, who now had become 
a noted man and leader in the land of Tob. 
The officers thus sent made the pledge that he 
should be their head. And God did deliver 
Israel by the hand and skill of Jephthah. Paul 
mentions the name of Jephthah [see Hebrews 
xi, 32] among the champions of faith who sub- 
dued kingdoms. A harlot's house was perhaps 
the only place in Jericho where the friends of 
God could find succor and entertainment and 
be treated respectfully. And God saved her 
and her kindred on her kindness and faith. So 
the name Bahah stands recorded among the 
honored names of the Old Testament worthies. 
But to return. I have known some persons of 
this class of children with talents above the 
ordinary grade. One was a preacher of the 
Gospel. He had a bright talent for almost any 
kind of business — very industrious, intelligent 
— became an editor of a religious periodical; 
was useful and very highly esteemed by many 
as a Christian man and preacher of that gospel 
which offers a free and a full salvation to all. 
Another was a justice of the peace, conscien- 
tious, intelligent, the father of a large family, 
respected by all who knew him, a Christian. 
Now, if God's ways were as our ways, and of 
our thinking. He would not mark them with 
such approbation, and crown their labors with 
such signal success, and make such record of it. 
We have no more right to that prejudice now, 
and be influenced by the teachings of Moses 
against this class of persons, and avoid them as 
taught. [See Deut. xxiii, 2.] "A bastard 
shall not enter into the congregation of the 
Lord unto his tenth generation." Then we 
are to be governed by the precept found a little 
preceding, viz.: "Thou shalt not wear a gar- 
ment of diverse sorts, as of woolen and linen 
together." Again: "Thou shalt not sow thy 
vineyard with diverse seeds." These are found 
only a few verses preceding. (And stoning a 
man to death for picking up sticks on the Sab- 
bath.) Some reasons are here presented for 
. this and other precepts in the civil and even in 
the moral code given by Moses, viz. : God in- 
tended by the multiplied and various precepts 
of law to let man find out he is a sinner and 
can not keep the law of Ood, and to make him 
humble and also to make him see that in his 
unsaved, unsanctified condition, "m the flesh 
he can not please God.'' For this reason God, 
as his Sovereign, throws many precepts across 
his path where man must and will go, so as to 
get him under condemnation. "The law en- 
tered that the offense might abound." [See 
Romans v, 20.] " To the pure all things are 
pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbe- 
lieving is nothing pare, but even their mind and 



conscience are defiled." [See Titus i. 15.] 
" The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus 
(only) can make me free from the law of sin 
and death." [See Romans viii, 2.] The Gos- 
pel comes to cure, not to kill; to justify^ not 
to condemn, to blame. 

COMPLIMENT. 

I have reason to believe, and also wish, that 
no school, institution, or college, medical or 
otherwise, will attach any of the letters. Rev., 
D. v., or A. M., to the first or last end of my 
name, as a title or diploma, because of the au- 
thorship of this work on Nazarite Theology, as 
others are and have been complimented. 

A. REDDY. 

Angelica Jail, Jime 10, 1868. 

' ' Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Mas- 
ter, even Christ and all ye are brethren." Je- 
sus the Christ, "Who, for the joy that was set 
before Him, endured the cross, despising the 
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the 
Majesty on High." — Paul, Heb. xii, 2. 

DIED BROKEN HEARTED. 

In Chautauqua Co., N. Y., a few years ago, 
•there lived a wealthy man. He had one only 
daughter, an only child, who was loved and 
prized by her parents. When she came to be a 
young woman she was sick, like many others, 
and under the doctor's care a long time, but 
still grew worse instead of getting help. She 
became very much reduced. Her parents 
pressed the doctor with the questions "Must 
she die?" "Can you help her?" Th'e doctor 
frankly said, " Medicine can do her 'no good." 
He then told the father and mother of the girl 
what would help her, viz., "Let her have a 
sexual commerce with some young man, and 
she'll get well." This was to them a new 
mode of doctoring; but they said, " Any thing 
rather than death." The mother was to tell 
the daughter, and then let her choose the young 
man, (none of the family were Christians). 
After a short time she consented, and, to their 
astonishment, she chose a very pious young 
man in the neighborhood, but he was poor. 
The doctor was to inform the young man, and 
tell him that a thousand dollars would be a 
small consideration with . the family if the 
daughter could only live. The young man 
said he would not for the consideration of pay ; 
but he would think about it a little first, as it 
was her request. In a few days he came to see 
her, and finally lay with the young woman for 
several days, as he continued the visits. He 
proposed to her the first time, or soon after, 
that he could love her as his wife. She readily 
consented to be his wife. She began at once 
to recover, and was soon about. But the father 
or parents discovering an attachment formed or 
forming between the daughter and the (poor) 
young man, he was driven from the house, with 
an injunction not to come there any more. The 
young man died broken hearted in about six 
months, and the young woman in about a year, 
although restored to health otherwise. This 
was God's mode of doctoring, and also of 
"joining together" in matrimony; but the 



TRANSMISSION OF VITALITY MYSTERY MADE KNOWN. 



63 



devil got vian to put them asunder, but not in 
heart, for I suppose the union and attachment 
was never broken, although separated by self- 
ish and brutal cruelty. 

TRANSMISSION OF VITALITY. 

David, the King of Israel, when he was old, 
lost most of his vitality; the native heat of the 
system had become so low that no amount of 
clothing could get him warm. His * ' servants ' ' 
the doctors said, " Let there be sought for my 
lord, the King, a young virgin, and let her stand 
before the King, and let her cherish him, and 
let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the King 
may get heat." (See 1 Kings, i, 1-4.) They 
searched the land for one suitable, and found 
Abishag, a Shunammite, and she lay in his 
bosom, and he got heat and recovered. There 
are many persons in this land out of health in 
this manner, young as well as old, who lack 
heat in themselves, their whole system chilled; 
a want of circulation, and of the essential gas- 
manufactory going on right, which warms us ; 
and artificial heat and clothing, like that of 
David the King, does not meet the case. Those 
persons need animal heat, transmitted from 
other warm and healthy bodies, in order to get 
vitality and heat which will last and remain. 
This is philosophy, but philosophy is not reli- 
gion always, as some think, but there is philoso- 
phy in religion, and always connected with 
God's miraculous manifestations of healing. 
But we do not always, or even seldom, discover 
it beforehand, except those who have the gift. 
They always discover some analogy to the 
adaptation, some reasons which God gives 
them. " The Son can do nothing of Himself 
but what He seeth the Father do, these doeth 
the Son likewise." I was once introduced to 
the daughter of a local preacher, a married 
woman, then in Madison Co., N. Y. Her 
hand was chilled clear through. I became 
deeply burdened by the* Holy Spirit for her 
relief, — referring me to this case of David, — I 
took the Bible and read it to her and her mother 
present, but I did not tell them what the Lord 
had showed me. After being under the cross 
some days, (I could not rest day nor night,) I 
was sent back, and while in family prayer I 
should have told her, before her father and 
mother, that the " Lord has sent me back here 
to sleep with you " — take you in my arms, that 
you may get heat — warm you up. The Lord 
blessed me in laying my hand on her shoulder, 
but it was such a cross I did not. But that 
night I slept none till morning, so burdened for 
her. I never had such heat in my body, — 
enough to have warmed up a corpse; like the 
Prophet Elisha, who "stretched himself upon 
the dead, put his hands to his hands, his eyes 
to his eyes, his mouth to his mouth, twice over, 
and cried to the Lord." That invalid woman 
was so upon my mind for a year or two, that 
the Lord sent me to make the confession to her, 
and her husband had to consent to any treat- 
ment or do any thing. Since that I am clear. 



CHAPTER XL 



MYSTERY MADE KNOWN. 



The calling of the Gentiles to make them 
follow Him with the Jews, was the ' ' mystery ' ' 
which was revealed to Paul, and it was this 
which exposed him to such prosecution from 
that people. Paul calls it '' The mystery which 
had been hid in God;''^ yet there was a hint at 
least given of it in the Old Testament, but it 
was not seen by the Jews, the only church in 
that day. And hence their conscientious opposi- 
tion in unbelief against Paul, more especially 
because he was the apostle to the Gentiles, and 
was set for the defense of this offensive tcuth to 
them. Just in this manner has ignorance, 
bigotry and superstition in unbelief treated 
most new ideas or schemes, and plans devised 
by God or man for diffusing light to benefit the 
fallen race, thus interfering with the depravity 
of man and the power of the devil — the bane of 
human happiness. Just so with this seeming 
new idea of God being the author, and He 
directing this sexual association. The devil, 
who is struck to his vitals by this plan of the 
Holy Ghost, now fires up the imagination, 
making it run wild into a wholesale rush, that 
all the young people are now to be ruined by 
this ' ' licentious doctrine. ' ' "While the truth is : 
it' s going to put a check on it, and on the devil 
who has usurped almost exclusive dictation and 
control of the world on this subject, by the 
subtle unbelief in general and by doubt among 
the more conscientious in the religious world. 
And as many of the disciples of Jesus suffered 
martyrdom in those days, by giving their 
testimony to these three points of truth, viz. : 
1st. That Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ; 
2nd. Their offering salvation to the Gentiles as 
well as to the Jews; and 3d. That the salvation 
of Jews and Gentiles was to be received by 
simple /ait/i instead of by loorks, as the Jews 
had thought. Just so it may be in these last 
days with some of those who are called in this 
narrow path and to teach this offensive truth, 
viz. : " Sexual commerce by God^ s special 
direction; they may seal the truth with their 
blood. I am sure I see clearly that every one 
who stands the tests which they will be brought 
to, must ' 'present their bodies a living sacrifice, ' ' 
ready to be a martyr at any time the high-priest 
(Jesus) shall see tit to call for a martyr. Now, 
as the above obscure truths or ' ' mystery ' ' was 
made known to Paul, and Jesus called him to 
speak out those truths, and thus, as a conse- 
quence, " show him how much he must 
suffer for Christ's sake." So I am called by the 
same ' • Master and Lord ' ' to make known this 
^^ mystery, ^^ or at least this obscure truth, this 
neio test of faith, for those who are led by the 
Spirit of God in this last dispensation — ^Hn 
these last times'''' — in writing this work and in 
the relation of the following '' Revelation," by 
or in dreams and visions of the night, on ' 'these 
many things new. " 



64 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



NEW FOUNDATIOX — THE CHURCH. 
" On this Kock I will build my Church." 

The last winter that I was preaching at 
Lockport I dreamed that I was, with a small 
stone in my hand, sitting on the south plate of a 
very large frame of a building, which stood on 
a newly-laid foundation of mason work or wall, 
and high from the ground, the wall looking 
very white with rich mortar. I was very high 
up, and with the little stone I had been driving 
the plate down into the top of the posts; I 
thought my son Charles (the only person with 
me) was standing on the plate close behind me. 
I said, Charles can' t you step over me and drive 
down that plate at the corner. I felt and spoke 
very kind to him, for I felt so. He said, " Yes, 
sir.'''' But in his stepping by me with the 
muntle or commander in his hand, he lost his 
balance and was falling, but carried, in his fall, 
away from the building. I could not bear to 
see him strike. I said, '•'■ Oh, my God, save 
Mm." As I awoke I thought he was not dead, 
but was broken much, and many sympathizers 
around him as he lay on the ground. He has 
never walked in the light since that spring, 
although very clear in his experience and lead- 
ings for two or three years before. I wrote, 
warning him of danger at the time 5 but did not 
see what the building and frame represented 
until four nights after this. The Lord showed 
me clearly in another dream the interpretation 
of the first one, viz. : That Re was the author 
of both dreams, and intended by it to represent 
His Church at the present day, standing on a 
new foundation, and that I v/as putting the 
frame together; had it raised and nearly finished, 
and because I was a carpenter by trade. [See 
Mark vi, 31. ] He had chosen this figure to repre- 
sent it to me, and thus inspire me with confidence 
in Him, and also to show me my appropriate 
work. Seeming to others (and to myself, too, 
at times) like small business, like driving the 
frame together with a small stone, and sitting 
down at that, because of timidity from the 
height of the frame; the smallness of the 
timbers and no braces in it at all, and the bents 
a great distance apart; no big posts, no Popes, 
or big members as pillars or lords over the 
members of the church. He showed me that 
Charles was going to fall from the grace of God, 
and that I could not look after him, but must 
continue my own appropriate work. 

But I did not see then the full import of the 
vision, or the peculiarities of this vision, viz. : 
The New Foundation which I soon afterwards 
began to be taught both by experience and by 
the special and immediate inspiration of the 
Holy Spirit, leading me in the " tcay " I had 
not known, taking all there was of me to obey 
Him: '' All that he hath-," '■'■ Hate his own life 
also he cannot he my disciple." 

He taught me some of these '■^ new things''^ 
in '■^ Nazarite Theology" ^' which had been hid 
in God. ' ' He has made known unto me this 
mystery." And He has set me for the defense 
of this ^^new" truth, this new test of faith; and 
also for the revival of the ^' old things," viz.: 
The miraculous gifts of the Spirit, including 



His special and infallible guidance of every 
Christian. We are His witnesses, and so is 
also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to 
them that obey Him. 

"For this let mfen revile my name, 
No cross I'll shun, I fear no shame. 
All hail reproach and welcome pain, 
Only Thy censure, Lord, restrain." 

A. REDDY. 

On the day of Pentecost, when the Christian 
Church was established, "built upon the foun- 
dation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus 
Christ being the chief corner-stone," without 
any formal organization,* the only framing of 
Ihis church, this dispensation of the Spirit, was 
internal, imparting to each member some 
adapted gift by which they were ' ' established,' ' 
(see Rom. i, 11,) as the body of Christ, "the 
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every 
man to profit withal, " some miraculous gift or 
sign in each member, thus constituting the 
church. " Cloven tongues as of fire sat upon 
each of them," (men and women,) indicating 
by the outward symbol not only that they were 
children of God, but possessed some miracu- 
lous gift. The church thus organized by the 
Spirit, who had now " endowed them with 
power from on high," the Apostles being pil- 
lars; selfishness and home too were given up, 
(they were seventy miles from home, com- 
manded to "tarry,") they began to " have all 
things common." None said that aught of the 
things he possessed was his own; " Call no man 
father upon the earth, for one is your Father, 
even God, and all ye are brethren. Neither 
call any man master, for one is your Master, 
even Christ." No one had any authority over 
another to dictate as father or as master, (no 
great or little Popes, ) except as the Holy Spirit 
saw fit to direct to each other. None said this 
is my child, son, daughter, sister, mother, bro- 
ther, or (perhaps) wife, either so far as service 
or a "bosom friend "'was concerned, for they 
were all bosom friends, each . ready to serve 
each and all to the utmost limits, cheerfully lay 
down their life, as well 2i^ property and person, 
for the service of others, for their good and 
salvation. Very little manual labor done by 
these Galileans and the other early Christians;- 
they had plenty of work — soul-saving. The 
Apostles said, " It is not meet that we should 
leave the Word of God and serve tables." But 
after a little jealousy had crept in, they ap- 
pointed some to see to the daily distribution, 
but they too wrought wonders and miracles. 
But the Apostles said, ' ' We will give ourselves 
continually to prayer and to the ministry of the 
Word." If all obeyed the Lord now, there 
would be little done but saving souls. "The 

* The election of Matthias by lot was only follow- 
ing a custom, and in doubt too, (see this done by the 
heathen mariners with Jonah, 7th verse and 1st chap- 
ter, ) and not in faith, because not of the Holy Ghost, 
for He had not yet come and taken His charge of the 
flock; we see no such experimenting after he came. 
Paul was doubtless the one to take the office vacated 
by Judas, instead of Matthias, for this is the first and 
the last we hear of Matthias. This act w&s formalism, 
and not yet the guide that was promised: " He shall 
guide you into all truth." 



THE ONEIDA COMMUNITY — WORKINGS OF UNBELIEF. 



65 



harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are 
few." That is, clear-sighted, courageous, and 
deeply experienced laborers. The great mass 
of human beings are rapidly moving in the road 
to hell, and but few even of the thousands who 
profess faith, that have one particle of '' faith 
in God," not even '-as a grain of mustard 
seed, " if they had they could ask what they 
would, and it should be done. "All men seek 
their own, not the things which are Jesus 
Christ's." 

THE OXEIDA COMMUNITY. 

The want of resemblance or similarity to the 
early disciples of Jesus Christ and the Apostolic 
Church, in the " Oneida Community," is not (so 
much) distinguished by their "communism" 
— they having surrendered exclusive claims to 
self, to property, person and service — seen and 
had in their " social system;" but it does con- 
sist, first, in their apprehensions or views of a 
secular and scientific Christ, (as they call it). 
The disciples did not put their goods, &c., to- 
gether, to have " all things common" for the 
purpose of accumulation, but to have the 
wants of the destitute among them supplied, so 
they could save others. Second, ii is in the 
exclusive sectarianism and the xoant of that 
missionary spirit of Christ, which prompted 
Him to " seek and save that which was lost," 
viz., man, (not money) "by the sacrifice of 
Himself.''^ Third, it is in the loant of vocal 
efforts, prayer and preaching the " Gospel to 
every creature." The Apostles said, "it is 
not meet that we should leave the Word of God 
and serve tables. We will give ourselves con- 
tinually to prayer and to the ministry of the 
Word." This community, constituting one 
family of above two hundred persons, male and 
Jemale of old, young and youth, is situated in 
Oneida and Madison counties, in the State of 
New York. They are said to be upright, hon- 
orable in all their business intercourse with 
man and the world. They are neither robbers 
nor extortioners, nor revilers, nor murderers, 
nor politicians, nor even sorcerers, nor a cor- 
rupt people; they "sue no man at the lawf^ 
yet there is a refined unbelief or scepticism at 
headquarters, eating out the real Christ, so it 
will be eventually as it was in Bethlehem, where 
Christ was born, viz., "No place for Him in 
the Inn.''^ Their oflicial report shows a profit 
averaging eighteen thousand dollars a year for 
the last eight years. It was said their profits 
were over sixty thousand dollars in 1864, or 
1865. Unless the "Wonderful Councilor" 
correct them, and unless the Holy Spirit can 
have His way with them, and " guide " them, 
they will become a popular moneyed power, 
and living for themselves alone and for this 
world only, with God's displeasure upon them, 
and having no safety or security of success, at 
least as a religious body; mechanically (or 
' ' scientifically ' ' ) managing, after the example 
of Onan, (see Gen. xxxviii, 8-11,) thus cheating 
God out of children. 

WORKINGS AND CONSEQUENCES OF UNBELIEF. 

In 1864, while upon my knees at a preacher's 
house in East Rushford, the Lord told me to go 

(9) 



to a house close by, where a man and his three 
children were veiy sick. It was a great cross. 
I went, told them " The Lord has sent me here 
to see your sick.'' The little fiery looking 
woman of the house said: " The devil has sent 
you, you shan't go in:" grabbed and held the 
door. I begged to let me just see them. God's 
power was ou me so I could scarcely stand, 
even with my arm around her brother-in-law's 
neck, who had come in. I reached out my 
hand to put it on the viperous woman's 
shoulder, saying: "You don't know how Jesus 
makes me love you and feel for you, to afford 
you relief." She thought she would strike my 
hand, but stopped the knife before it reached 
my hand. She wanted me to go out; I still 
begged to see them, my burden and exercises 
were so extraordinary ; but soon I was released. 
I have learned since that the three children got 
well, but the man died in a short time. The 
woman (wife) who stood in God's way to save 
her husband from death, was taken sick at once, 
and in a few days was a corpse too, and laid 
aside in the grave too. "With what measure 
ye meet it shall be measured to you again." 
Another Case. — I was sent by the Lord to 
see a class-leader in Albion, one morning, who 
was quite sick, as told me by a relative of his 
the day before. I told the two women (his 
wife one of them) that the Lord had sent me to 
see brother A. She asked : ' ' What do you want 
to do ?" I said : ' 'I don' t know as anything ex- 
cept it may be lay my h and on his head. ' ' I saw 
that this stirred and aroused their unbelief. 
One of them said: "I'll go and see him;" came 
back and said: " He says he don't want to be 
disturbed this morning. ' ' I said : ' ' Then you' 11 
take the responsibility ;' ' they said, "Yes. ' ' I left 
the house with this truth from God upon me, 
viz.: '' He will die." But oh, how solemn I 
felt, considering that God was sending me to 
various places and persons, to be the occasion 
but not the cause of their sealing their destiny 
for time, and some for eternity too, by their 
unbelief. The class-leader died a few weeks 
afterwards, as I learned, and his wife went half 
distracted with unreconciliation. It is not very 
probable that she ever admitted that she reject- 
ed God's plan to raise her husband from his 
sick bed. 

DOOMED. 

One Case more. — While I was walking on 
the plank road near Union Springs, Cayuga 
county, some five years ago, I was overtaken by 
a stranger, alone in a light two-horse wagon, 
and empty, stopped and let me get in to ride 
vsdth him; I rode, perhaps, ten rods, and, as 
usual, I converse with all I have intercourse 
with on the subject of religion, about salvation, 
— "'Tis all my business here below" "to cry, 
behold the Lamb," — I said to ]x\mkindly: "Bo 
you enjoy salvation?" He answered " No. " I 
said: "Did you ever enjoy it ?" He drew up 
his reins, stopped his team and said: " Get out 
of the buggy." I looked up in his face to see 
if he meant so without the least provocation: 
but he said: " Get right outr I said: "Be sure', 
I shall." When I stepped down I felt glad; 



66 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY 



had rather walk than ride if I could do him no 
good. But as he left me and drove on, these 
words were given me : ' ' He has sealed his 
doom'^ given over forever.'^ Then, in a little, 
I was beset by the devil, who said: "Now, if 
you had aroused and had faith as you ought to 
have, you might have quelled the devil in him, 
and saved a soul from going to hell." About 
four months after this I was in Cayuga county 
again, holding meetings. One morning, I heard 
that Mr. Allen died that morning about five 
o'clock; said a little while before to his wife: 
"I am getting better." It struck me that is 
the man who ' ' sealed his doom. ' ' I attended 
his funeral ; and when I looked on his corpse in 
the coffin, I recognized him as the man, and I 
had no more doubt of his being lost in hell for- 
ever, (for God had said it, ) than I had of my 
being alive. He was a man about fifty years 
old, a farmer well ofi" as to property; but soon 
as he was laid in the grave, I learned that an 
old woman, who had nursed him when he was 
a child, and lived in his family as her home, 
seemed to be the only mourner at his funeral of 
many relatives. She was by the family taken 
to the poor house; thus she was requited, left 
to die neglected in her eld age. 

SANCTIFIED — HEALED. 

A Case of Conviction. — An unsanctified 
woman, although generally of an excellent 
spirit, where I was stopping once, she got tried 
and tempted badly about washing a couple of 
collars found in my satchel, overlooked by my 
folks at home ; she was soon taken with such a 
severe tooth-ache that her upper lip swelled out 
large, and she went about weeping and in pain all 
day. At night, her husband prayed for her, 
laid his hands on her head, but still she wept 
on without relief. At last, her husband said: 
" Emeline, ask Father Reddy to put his hands on 
your head, and pray for you !" * 'Well, ' ' said she, 
"hemay." "Well," said he, "asfc/im.'" She then 
asked me; I said, "Yes, I will, Emeline." I laid 
on my hands, and soon said : "Let the sanctify- 
ing power of the Holy Ghost come upon her;" 
she responded a hearty Amen. I then saw 
Jesus above us and I said, " Oh, Jesus, let her 
feel herself safely encircled in thine arms." 
Next, I found we had both fallen by .the power, 
and she lay in one of my arms, laughing hearty 
as a happy child, cured, soul and body, all the 
pain and all the fretty fault-finding gone. Said 
to me afterwards she never doubted it. 

GETTING "start" OP THE DEVIL. 

While I was preaching at Alpine, Schuyler 
county, in the fall of 1867, 1 heard of a man 
who had cut his knee-pan loose, by a cradle 
scythe, and had been many weeks confined; 
some talked that he would lose his leg or life. 
A doctor said he could not live ; nervous 
spasms had seized him. A day or two after- 
ward, I heard and reported that he was dead, 
but learned soon that it was not so. About 
three o' clock the next morning, awaked myself 
two or three times by singing ; when sufficiently 
conscious, I was taken in spirit to the bed-side 



of the sick man ; I saw myself standing by him 
with my hand on his head, singing these' lines: 

" What's this that steals upon my frame! 

Is it death, is it death ? 
Th~at soon will quench this vital flame ;j 

Is it death, is it death? 
If this be death I soon shall be 

From every pain and sorrow free ; 
I shall the King of glory see. 

All is well, all is well." 

I hesitated about rising to go at that hour of the 
night, cold and frosty, and dogs at two places 
on the road were presented as obstacles. Soon, 
these words came: "iJarfc, my soxd, it is the 
Lordr^ 1 inquired: Have these words come 
to be sung also ? But no tune came with them. 
Then I saw, and sprang out of bed, put on my 
clothes, boots and cap, felt for the door; brother 

C , the man of the house, awakened, and 

said, ' "Where are you going ?" I said, ' 'I' m going 
to see that sick man, or dead man, or dying 
man; closed the door and left the house. I 
found the man had been in spasms several hours, 
trying to tear his hair and clothes, his wife and^her 
mother doing what they could to hold his hands, 
and yet be sate from his grip. I laid my hand on 
his head, it was cold ; I sung the words which 
the Lord had given me before starting, took 
and held his hand firmly; he soon became 
warm, his head began to sweat. I was much 
blessed with the presence of God. He soon 
began to sing and talk about Jesus; I looked a 
little to see if there was anything more to be 
done ; sat and talked with his own mother. I 
asked him ifl might pray; he said"Yes;" kneeled 
and prayed a few words for them, then left the 
house to pass a mile or so through the woods, 
further on ; but I soon became heavy, so it was 
difficult to proceed. I kneeled to pray, and 
found the woods full of devils, and like a pack 
of wolves howling to frighten their prey. I 
began to pray and roar like a lion, while they 
threatened me with fear. But God soon gave 
me the victory, and then showed me that ' ' the 
man will get well .'" and these devils have found 
it out, are disappointed of their prey, and now 
threatening vengeance on the aggressor, who 
did not know till now for what specific purpose 
he was sent, but thought, may be, to witness his 
triumphant death, and then to comfort ihe 
widow. God had kept this secret from me, so 
that the devil should not find it out, and hence 
the start, they were all taken by surprise. I 
roared and shouted, making the woods ring, 
echoing for a few minutes. Soon, every devil 
had fled. I heard since that some of his friends 
said he did not believe he would have lived 
the day out, but he lives, glory to God and the 
Lamb, forever and ever — Amen. 

TESTS OF PURITY. 

Once, in Wales, Erie county, while in family 
prayer, a young woman, belonging to the 
Baptist Church, working there — I was specially 
drawn out in travail for Jane — suddenly she 
cried out with a loud voice : ' ' Why, how queer 
I feel .'" The whole company burst into laugh- 
ter; in about a minute she rose upon her feet, 
began to stamp and walk, saying: " Why, how 



LOVE DISTRESSING. 



67 



queer I feel r Two days after this, walking 
through the room where Jane was working, she 
said: "Brother Reddy, I never felt so in my 
life, as I have since Monday morning; I used to 
get tired with myself, and get out of patience 
with my work, but since that morning I have 
felt nothing of it, everything goes right ; what 
is it ?'^ I said: "It is the sanctifying power 
of the Holy Ghost. " "Is it ?" she said ; ' 'well, 
that day I was out to the barn, and stepped my 
shoe most over the top into soft mud, looked 
down, saw it, and burst out into a hearty laugh ; 
the laugh continued, seemed to control me all 
the way to the house, wondering why I should 
laugh so hearty at such a simple affair. ' ' But 
on reflection, she saw it was just the opposite 
of that impatience and fault-finding spirit 
towards herself and others she had always felt till 
71010. She was so different she hardly knew 
what to call it. Here was a test, and one 
evidence of the purity which the Spirit brought 
her. I was slain while standing with a com- 
pany once, on the camp-ground. Some sinner 
threw a wash-dish of water in my face; I did 
not know who it was; but I found such a love of 
Jesus in me towards that sinner, that it seemed 
to me I could never speak an unkind word to a 
poor sinner again in all my life, I felt so tender 
towards them. While I was in prison at 
Angelica, a young man was there a prisoner for 
attempt to kill with knife and revolver; had been 
in the army; he loved to fight with the fist, 
seeking quarrel with almost every one when he 
first came. God burdened me for him: made 
me love him and kiss him once; but he was 
afraid of my kind of religion; he professed the 
army religion, had got it there, but could fight 
yet. One night, just as I was ascending the 
stairs with my pail of water, he had placed 
himself at the iron door of his room, his arm 
through, and throwed the cup in his hand full 
of water square into my face, the Spirit set me 
laughing instantly, although unlooked for, I felt 
happy all through my being. With such love 
to the precious soul, I never thought of retalia- 
tion, but regarded it as a mother would a playful 
grasp or a blow of the hand from the child in 
her lap. The religion of love does not revile 
again. 

LOVE DISTRESSING. 

If such satisfaction and increase of happiness 
is felt when expressing our love to offspring and 
to friends who are lovely, when it is only natu- 
ral, how much must the happiness and the sat- 
isfaction be increased when that love is sancti- 
fied by the Spirit, so that we can and do love 
our enemies? While they curse, we "bless 
them that curse us; do good to them that hate 
us," with a pure heart — instinctively — almost 
involuntarily; yea, quite so, sometimes. But 
where there is a want of condition of soul to 
reciprocate this love, or a want of gratitude for 
its expression, it becomes distressing to those 
persons in view of the contrast. This is seen 
sometimes in those professing religion. It be- 
comes irksome; they turn away with disgust 
and become ashamed of the childlike simplicity 
and familiarity. Devils^ top, are distressed by j 



it, from envy as well as their inveterate hatred 
to all that is like God. Peter says, "Ye are 
made partakers of the divine nature." " God 
is love'^ — His nature essential. Talk of Satan 
being "transformed into an angel of Zove," I 
ask. Who has done it? " Love " is a principle 
derived from God, the only fountain . Whence, 
then, came this transformation ? God has not 
done it. What deep deception of devils is found 
in this one thought. But God has given me the 
key to unlock and to open this dark vault where 
is hidden a magazine calculated by Satan to ex- 
plode and supplant the Christian's love and 
acquaintance with God, in whom alone it is 
found. This one idea would eventually anni- 
hilate from the minds of men at least all dis- 
tinctions between good and had; it would de- 
stroy all moral sense, leaving no marks by 
which man can distinguish between God and 
the devil; and hence this point once gained, 
the next in order would be in close connection 
with this inquiry or thought, viz. : Is there a 
God or any devil? I say that the very thought 
in the mind of the author of the article, (viz. : 
" Satan transformed into love," which was the 
occasion of commencing this work by the letter 
to him,) originated with the devil, and is one 
of the darkest imps of hell that has ever shown 
himself or made his appearance. We read of 
" wickedness, or wicked spirits in high places,' ' 
that is, high up in religious things, or deep 
down at the bottom. We use, sometimes, the 
term in grammar, "the root of the verb." Here 
is the root of this idea, viz, : It was started from 
the unbelief in reference to the gifts which God 
had bestowed on some persons, and their singu- 
lar exercises and experience, so much beyond 
or ahead of most ministers and others. 

They could not comprehend it nor account 
for it, to suit them, on any other ground or 
principle. Then after a while it came out with 
this new thought and idea, (a new dress,) not 
only to Christians, but also to every one ac- 
quainted with Christianity, viz. : That Satan is 
transformed into an angel of love ; " " enters 
the soul through the channel of love. " Does 
he not most frequently do it ? I ask who would 
not repulse such from the heart ? If it is from 
the devil, every thinking person, as well as 
most Christians, must be utterly confounded at 
this thought, and would be ready at once to ask 
the author of this new doctrine (this " new di- 
vinity ' ' ) this question, viz. : In what, then, do 
Christians differ from others? or what does 
Christianity consist of, if it is not seen in good- 
ness and love, and the sweet, simple spirit 
which makes others and ourselves happy? Is 
not this the spirit which fills and constitutes the 
happiness of heaven, ' ' where all the air is 
love?" Is it not for want of this good- will 
and spirit of love that makes earth and all 
things about us so unsatisfying ? ' ' Better is a 
dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox 
and hatred therewith.' ' Here are a few axioms, 
viz. : 1st, Love is from God; hatred is from the 
devil, (a " murderer from the beginning, and 
abode not inltruth. ) Again, 2d, Good is from 
God; evil is"from the devil. Again, 3d, Holi- 
ness and purity are from God, while all sin, 



68 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



corruption and impurity are from the devil. 
4th, God is the Fountain and Author of all ra- 
tional happiness and peace. But the devil is 
the source of all unhappiness, of war, misery 
and suffering of every kind in this and in the fu- 
ture world. Sin never did any good ; it is al- 
ways evil. It has robbed heaven, God, angels 
and men. It has peopled hell with men and 
women as well as angels, and is filling its 
wretched inmates with wailing, weeping, with 
endless groans and gnashing of teeth, after 
having made this earth a hospital — a scene of 
blood, of death, and of graves. 5th, The de- 
vil is a liar, and the father of lies; " he abode 
not in the truth.' ^ God is the God of truth; 
Jesus was born to bear witness to the truth 5 the 
Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth. John says, 
'' We are of the truth." How wrong and in- 
consistent for men to undertake to confound the 
above principles. They are also immutahle. 
God and the devil are unlike in every respect, 
except their natural attributes, viz. : spirits. 

MARRIAGE. 

" What God hatli joined together, let not man put 
asunder." — Jesus, the Clirist of God. 

Marriage and this < 'joining together " is, by 
the bond of love, the only way that they can 
walk together and be agreed. It is not done 
by the outward ceremony of some Judge, Ma- 
gistrate, or Minister, at what we call weddings ; 
this is only the witness and the legal recogni- 
tion of the contract. But the union is in the 
mutual agreement prompted by love; this is 
the only bond joining together in the sight of 
God. Now, if this bond does not hold them, 
if this is wanting, then they are asunder, they 
are divorced, if they were ever joined together, 
in every proper sense except the legal " pad- 
lock," the moneyed interests, and the domestic 
relations, and other obligations connected with 
this legal relation; these and not God "joins" 
them together in a kind of co-partnership in 
business. While it may be God had joined 
one or each of them really in confidence and 
feeling with some other person with whom they 
feel a union of love, (if they have any love, ) 
we feel a union with those we love, and it is 
not of the devil, as some think, although it may 
not be recognized by the law, for law does not 
make love, and this principle from God will 
and does live in the heart, somtimes, in spite 
of any law. They have divorced themselves 
by selfishness, or by jealousies,or unbelief, which 
offended God and separated them from Him 
first, and hence they are put asunder for want 
of this love; they are twain. Here is the 
source of much of the misery and discontent 
which is found in domestic life. They are 
"mis-matched;" they cannot pull even for 
want of the union of love. Love unites and 
identifies us with the good and happiness, yea, 
almost with the very existence and being of 
those we love. " They were of one heart and 
of one soul. ' ' Such is the nature of love ; it 
makes us one as the Father and Son are one, as 
Christ and the Church are, when that love is 
perfect. "' No man ever hated his own flesh, 
but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the 



Lord the Church. So ought men to love their 
wives even as themselves." But if that pure 
love becomes contracted — limited to one indi- 
vidual — exclusively on one object, it is liable to 
be smitten with selfishness because it is pure. 
and the object of envy by the devil, and be- 
cause it is from God and like Him ; yea, even 
if it gets centered on wife, husband, or chil- 
dren, then it becomes — unlike its Source and 
Author, God— selfish and partial. Then it is 
almost certain to be struck loith rust, smitten 
by jealousy, and contracted by selfishness; it 
becomes so unlike God, it ceases to be the 
" well of water in him springing up," ceases to 
supply usj so we soon begin to hunger and 
thirst agam, because it is not allowed to spring 
up, to overflow and water others as well as our- 
selves. To illustrate: I knew an old class- 
leader, who was filled with perfect love, his 
whole being controlled by the Holy Ghost, 
praying and in travail for his neighbors' chil- 
dren; many of them were converted, and he 
got the witness before they did, while he 
prayed tor them. One day a new thought or 
-icZea was suggested, "Is there not something 
wrong, something deficient in your religion, 
spending your time and prayers for others, 
while here are your own four sons who are not 
converted, and you feel or pray for them no 
more or even as much as for others; had n't you 
ought to love them more and better than oth- 
ers?" He was caught, and turned by this 
strategy to cultivate his love and interest for 
his own, and lost his perfect love, and never 
regained it; and with it, of course, went the 
power to do others good. ' ' Without me ye 
can do nothing.'^ ''Charity seeketh not her 
own." The heart that is true, filled with love, 
— God within us, the well of water — " he shall 
never thirst,'- if he only lets it " spring up " 
and overflow so as to water (save) others by 
that union with Jesus the true vine, " the 
same bringeth forth much fruit." But if it 
gets restricted, narrowed down to self, wife, 
children, or our friends exclusively or even es- 
pecially, because they are curs, then that 
fountain soon dries up, and ceases to supply us, 
and we lose the love to all, as in the case of the 
class-leader referred to. Many professing to be 
Christians and in the Church now, yet they know 
so little of this Spirit of Christ, that they think 
when they get to heaven all their loved ones 
will be the first to gather around them, and ! 
what a meeting that will be; when, perhaps, if 
there at all, and safe, they will hardly be no- 
ticed, especially, seeing so many others who 
shine brighter in the divine glory and efful- 
gence, and where all are cured of selfishness 
and sectarianism, or the idea of mine, except 
God and heaven, and all else forever. And 
this great cure is all done here, this side death, 
in and for all those fully instructed and saved 
by the power of the Holy Ghost, washing and 
regenerating us through the precious blood of 
Christ, "Cleansing us from all sin here, and 
preserving us blameless." The disciples were 
"of one heart and one soul; none said that 
aught of the things he possessed was his own, 
but they had all things common.'" Such is the 



NARRATIVE — PREACHING AT ALPINE. 



69 



true Church of Jesus Christ even here, as well 
as beyond death. The holy angels have no 
near kin, and we are to be "equal " unto the 
angels, i. e., we are to be like tJiem, equal in 
kind. 



CHAPTER XII. 



XARRATIVE. 



Six weeks I preached at Alpine every night 
but four or five. Once I turned from ihem, as 
the last words of the sermon fell from my lips, 
' ' Prepare for sickness such as you never had 
among you, and for death, it is coming; some of 
you will have to repent on a death-bed, if you ever 
do ; Ood will not let you repent before. ' ' My text 
was, "Beware, lest that come upon you which is 
spoken by the prophet." " Behold, ye despis- 
ers, and wonder and perish, for I work a work 
in youi' days — a work which ye shall in no 
wise believe, though a man declare it unto 
you." Judicial blindness. I left the house, 
walked away to the horse-bam near where I 
was stopping, and remained there until some 
time after the family returned from the meet- 
ing; then I went into the house. Soon they 
found where I was; many came back from the 
Centre, came in, wanted me to preach again ; 
said, "We want to give you something." I 
said, " I cannot preach in view of a collection ;' ' 
talked some half hour. I said, " I am willing 
to do anything for you I can ; " said God turned 
away from punishing Nineveh on their repent- 
ance. One gave me a dollar, another seventy- 
five cents, and so on — over two dollars. Shook 
hands and left. 

The next day they beset me again to have a 
meeting. They wanted to give me something. 
The day after, while on my knees in my room, 
the Lord told me to say to them, " I will preach 
Saturday and Sunday nights, and you may do 
just what you have a mind to about money — 
you will not do wrong." They took a collec- 
tion of about two dollars. I cared no more for 
it than for so many rags; my soul had become 
identified with their spiritual interests, being 
burdened night and day; fall down while pray- 
ing in the parlor alone on the carpet, and shake 
sometimes for half an hour or more, crying, 
" O, my God, save this people; use me any 
way, but reach and save them." Some, who 
were backslidden, the Lord made me call out in 
public by name, tell them plainly, "You are 
backslidden; God is not pleased with you." I 
was many times slain by the power of God — 
thrown out of the pulpit two or three times; 
set laughing, then crying, till it seemed I could 
endure no more. Once the Lord said, "You 
have endured enough, all you are able; take 
your hat and coat and leave." I did 'at once. 
The next day afternoon, they found where I 
had gone. One man sent his neighbor's wife 
to tell me to come back to his house, that my 
friends had not all left me. I felt very tender 
and sensitive; eould not intrude. I went and 



visited a poor cripple a mile away first, then 
came back at night. 

One evening I invited them forward for a 
season of prayer, for holiness, etc. One sister 
said the devil told her, "you'd better move, 
he'll fall on you." She said, well, he may if 
the Lord wants it, I won't move. Suddenly, a 
light came from above, struck her on the 
shoulder, came near knocking her over; but the 
devil, she said, was too quick tor her, she shrank 
before she was aware of it; did not go over, but 
open her eyes, saw the light spill upon her 
shoulder; had the strangest feelings she ever 
had in all her life ; says she is so different since. 
She don' t think she ever was converted to God 
or had religion before. But after we were 
kneeled a little, I became pressed and burdened 
for the state of unbelief which was on the minds 
of the whole people. I groaned, felt the power 
on me, was going over a man, a member of a 
church who had not kneeled down, he icas sent 
(by the devil) to sit near me, and caught me 
from going over. Suddenly, the power so left 
me that I saw something was out of order, 
God's order, a damper came on the meeting. 
I knew the person who had meddled with me, 
with my falling, had interfered with God's 
work, and like Uzzah, was smitten, but was 
inclined not to say anything about it, for my 
part I could endure it, and it being delicate too 
on my part; but the Lord made me speak it 
right out : that God was displeased, the Spirit 
was grieved, and no success would attend us 
till that was seen and exposed. But it raised a 
great commotion, and finally the congregation 
arose, began to leave the house, each one with 
his opinion, no one to dismiss or appoint an- 
other. After about half had gone, I saw the 
judgments, sickness and death close by, coming- 
like a sudsing storm against the wind. I 
sprang on my feet, and upon a bench, and said: 
I can't leave you yet, I must have another 
meeting with you before I go to-morrow night. 
I had to hasten like Moses and Aaron running 
in with the censor to stay the plague that had 
suddenly come, because of the murmur and 
fault-finding about the death of Korah, Dathan 
and Abiram, when fourteen thousand seven 
hundred were slain before the plague could be 
stayed. [See Num. xvi, 41-50]. That man 
came once more to the meeting; I met him, 
shook hands and said, well Uzzah, how do you 
get along? The Lord has made it seem since 
to me that he is like a tree out in the lot alone, 
and struck with the lightning, with spiritual 
blindness and death. 

The first time I saw these people, the^power 
came and set me laughing in the road, on my 
way with others to the school-house; went in 
laughing, a stranger, and soon fell in the corner 
laughing some time. While there the Lord gave 
me this text to preach to them : "The kingdom of 
God is not in loord only, but in power, in 
demonstration of the Spirit and in much 
assurance." I got up, sat a spell, and preach- 
ed in the chair. The tavern-keeper said to me, 
afterwards : "I had once such an exercise when 
I thought I was converted, but I have doubted 
it since; but I was happy." He got up after- 



70 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



wards, in one of the meetings, and said: "I'll 
board this man a week at my house if he is a 
devil." His son came at the close, said, "Elder, 
you must come. ' ' I said, ' ' Yes, I'm going with 
you now." And so I did board with them, at 
the tavern, just one week, averaging just two 
meals per day, visiting days, but lodged each 
night with them. At the breakfast table the 
son said, '-Now, Elder, I want you to cure me of 
swearing while you are here 5 I' d give anything 
in the world if I could break myself from swear- 
ing. ' ' Well, I said, I'll do the best I can for you. 
The school-house became crowded almost every 
night, and three or four Sunday nights, said to 
be enough to fill it twice or more — would come 
five miles distant. But the envy of the Pharisees 
closed the school-house after having a meeting 
for themselves Sunday afternoon. So we were 
all shut out together in the open air and God's 
open world, perhaps enough to fill the house 
twice, and I preached to them a short time, and 
said, come Tuesday evening, and we will have 
a place for meeting. And a place was opened 
about 36 by 20 feet, that would hold more than 
could get into the school-house, at some sacrifice 
of the family owning the house. 

I had preached four times in a meeting-house, 
called a free meeting-house, but was not di- 
rected to leave another, but have since been 
invited to come again. I had preached twice 
in another school district, and four times in an- 
other, besides prayer-meetings other nights, 
visiting and traveling some days eight or nine 
miles on foot; but this I found was too much, 
especially to walk a part or one-third of that 
distance after preaching in the evening. But 
the Lord forbid me asking how many professed 
religion in the neighborhood, and after many 
were reclaimed and converted, I was not al- 
lowed to number them, and I never have count- 
ed them. Two only daughters were converted 
in the afternoon, the first time I visited one 
family, both in the same hour, so I called them 
my twin daughters. One man forty-seven years 
old, a cripple by inflammatory rheumatism for 
thirty-seven years, can not turn over, can not 
bend his elbows, or knees, or hips, one thumb 
and finger, and one shoulder that he can move 
a little; he has laid there more than thirty 
years, swearing and threatening sometimes 
what he would do if his mother and sister did 
not mind him. I visited and prayed with him. 
About two weeks after this, I met his sister, 
who said, "My brother is not as well; he would 
be glad if you please and can come and see him 
again." I went; began to sing " Joyfully, joy- 
fully, onward I move," etc. I saw the tears 
starting. After singing the hymn, he said, 
" Since you were here before, I have felt so 
bad; sometimes it seemed my heart would burst 
open." I prayed, and he and his mother, two 
sisters reclaimed, and he is happy, singing and 
praising God. His mother says it is but little 
trouble to take care of him now. This gave 
me more satisfaction than if I had found a purse 
of gold.* In crossing a wood to an appoint- 
ment, while on my knees, sometimes silent, 

* He is since dead. 



feeling very solemn, a strong intimation was 
upon me ihat the Lord was going to send me 
away suddenly somewhere soon. While preach- 
ing that evening I told of it, and said, " I shall 
go if God tells me to, east or west, north or south, 
and the curtain may fall, and I have directions 
in ten minutes, as it has been before once, from 
Lockport to Cajoiga county." I took the next 
train of cars. 

The impression still remained. I told it in 
my discourse at the village the next night, 
Thursday, and said, "I shall go when God 
tells me." It began to look light east. A 
great excitement was up the next day; stories, 
misunderstanding the motive and spirit in a 
move and work of the Spirit with me; many 
turned out, it is said, to mob or tar and feather 
the preacher, as that had been talked before. 
An old woman had offered the boys her large 
feather-bed for that purpose. They came where 
there was to be a prayer-meeting that night — a 
large company. I had been burdened most all 
day — certain that something unusual was close 
at hand. I arose after a little and said, " God 
has given me these words to say here just now: 
' I defy the black devil in that negro woman ; 

and the tar and feather devil in D h ; and 

the infidel devil in Brother R y; and I am 

ready for tar and feathers, for mobs or death, 
whenever the boys get ready.' " Talked some 
time. One young man had thrown himself from 
his seat in mimicry of the power slaying me 
and others; he lay still a long time. I said, 
' ' If God does not mark the mockers with his 
judgments before long, then call me an impos- 
tor." The case of a man in a grocery, in 1832, 
mocking sufferers taken with cholera: he lay 
down and rolled about on the floor, saying, 
"I've got the cholera, I've got the cholera! " 
In two hours afterwards he was the victim — a 
corpse by the fatal disease. This came up be- 
fore me, that I expected that young man would 
be struck with judgment. About four o'clock 
next morning, I was waked and told by the 
Lord to go to Alpine — put up the following 

" Notice. — A. Reddy, from Orleans Co., will 
preach on the four corners of the streets in Al- 
pine, Nov. 24, at about 12 o'clock at noon." 

And had some other errands shown me. I had to 
add to the above notice, '^ JBy order of Jesus 
Christ," taking off my own name at the bot- 
tom. The next morning, four or five o'clock, 
about two or three miles where I was lodging, 
I was waked by a constable with a lantern or 
torch in his hand. He said, ' ' I have a war- 
rant for you. ' ' I arose and dressed myself, and 
soon I was in "bonds," (iron wristlets,) and 
was led away to the magistrate, as soon as it 
was day. I was taken, Sunday, seven miles to 
the jail for safe keeping until morning, the con- 
stable threatening to tie his handkerchief over 
my mouth if I did not stop shouting; but I was 
a free man. 

The magistrate, the constable and Uzzah, the 
backslidden man, who meddled with God's 
work, had gone at a late hour of the night to a 
brother's house to inquire (as they said,) as to 
the truth of certain stories, saying, ' ' all we 



WEARING IRONS SUDDEN DEPARTURE. 



Yl 



want is to know the truth of it from you; it 
will go no further. ' ' 

They left near twelve o' clock at night. A 
warrant was issued without authority, and was 
put into the constable's hands; two men were 
waked out of sleep at three or four o' clock in 
the morning, to assist in the arrest of the ''no- 
table prisoner. ' ' And he was soon caught fast 
asleep at the friend's house where he had been 
lodged before, and could scarce be allowed to 
wash or do any necessaries ere the irons must 
be locked upon the wrists ; he was taken to the 
'Squire's, and then seven miles off, lodged in 
jail for safe keeping, the constable threatening 
to tie his handherchief over my mouth to stop 
my praising God on the highway. But God 
made me feel the adverse influence so heavy 
from the devil ix the officer, that I roared like 
a lion, and said, " God made me to breathe His 
air, and I shall he free. " The devil fled . But 
I had put up a notice the day before to preach 
on the four corners of the streets that Sunday 
at about 12 o'clock at noon, saying at the close 
of the notice, "By order of Jesus Christ.'" 
The officer said, '• flow are you going to preach 
to-day?" But three nohle men were down 
after me before noon, went to many of the 
officers of the county, and became responsible 
for damages, pledging my return to the prison 
that night. So I was carried to my appoint- 
ment a little late, preached, and lodged in jail 
that night. Towards morning the Lord waked 
me, and showed me why they had such power 
to pursue me ; that I had shrank, by delay a 
week before, in a peculiar cross of such import- 
ance that it must be hunted out at any expense. 
Of this I told the 'Squire, and started to tell 
him, " The Lord has got done with you now; 
you can go no further.'^ But I had not posi- 
tively rejected the '' counsel " offered, and con- 
sequently confusion came, and the case had to 
lay over till another day, to hunt this out to my 
discovery. I said to the friend in the morning, 
(a great cross,) "I can have no counsel but 
Jesus Christ." I went to the court room, 
dropped on my knees, and the Lord kept me 
there until the constable touched me and said, 
" You are discharged. " The family had been 
subpoenaed, but the man charged the 'Squire 
to his face of fraud, intrigue, of devils coming 
to his house at the late hour of night, and, 
without any authority from him, had issued the 
warrant; that he could attend to his own busi- 
ness and his own family. 

The intimation that had been given about a 
week before, that I was going to be sent away, 
was the next day confirmed as from the Lord. 
About eight o'clock the next evening, 1 became 
uneasy, and said, "My time is nearly up; I 

guess it is to-morrow morning." Brother C 

said, "I guess it is to-night." I said, "Yes, 
it is now." In ten minutes I was on my way, 
whither I knew not, but soon I was told by the 
Lord that He wanted me to travel all night. 
So I did, except a nap or two which I took in 
a school-house, and again under a hemlock 
tree. I traveled all the next day ; just at dark 
I asked a man at his gate, " Can you harbor me 
overnight? I am a traveling preacher." "I 



would be glad to harbor you," said he, "but 
we have a woman here that will abuse you. 
For three weeks she has been raving and swear- 
ing; for nine nights we could not sleep." 
" What ails her, is she possessed of the devil?" 
said L "Yes," said he, "I don't know but 
she is." "This is the place, then, that the 
Lord has sent me to ; He has given me power 
over devils." His wife's sister, for nineteen 
years, had been tormented by the devil, but 
his power was broken on the poor sufferer. I 
preached once at the county-house for the poor 
near Owego ; three or four times in a German 
neighborhood, as much as they could endure 
for the time, for I was slain once while preach- 
ing and once while praying, the house filled so 
that three young women sat in the pulpit, and 
I stood out. Traveled to Binghampton, Wind- 
sor, (fee. Then found a letter from Allegany 
county; a Brother Baker was sick, wanted me 
to come and see him. I read it the second 
time. The Lord said, '^hasten.'' I took the 
train; next day was there. The next day he 
took his team into the woods, and drawed logs. 
Stayed a few days, and was then sent back to 
Corning, after one (preacher) turned out of the 
synagogue. While leading the meeting by re- 
quest, at Gibson that night, a local preacher 
got much blessed, asked me home with him, (a 
stranger, ) the next day he gave me one of his 
coats ; said the Lord, the night before, while I 
was talking in the meeting, told him to give 
me that coat. I needed (to appearance) a 
coat, but after my return to Alpine, I put that 
coat on some four times, but for some reason I 
could not feel free to wear it. Alter some 
weeks, one Sunday, while conversing with a 
few, suddenly the Lord told me to give that 
coat to a poor man living out of the village, 
and the power of God came to my body as well 
as His Word to my spirit. I was straightened 
in my chair, throwed the hymn-book with vio- 
lence across the room, said " Yes, I will," but no 
one present had any knowledge of what it meant^ 
I did obey the Lord, but I guess none knows Tt 
but three or four of the family at most. The 
Lord showed me when I since met the first donor 
of that coat why I could not wear it, viz. : A 
leading preacher of his sect said, when hearing 
of it, that it was a temptation of the devil to his 
mind, while in the meeting, to give me a coat. 
Well, said he to the ''Master," I was honest; 
but he still insisted ' ' It was from the devil P ' 
So the coat was "cheerfully" given, and in 
good faith. But afterwards doubted', then it 
became " grudgingly ;" he wanted it hack; and 
hence God, who knew all about it, told me to 
give it away, he would not let me wear it, 
although twenty-five miles away, and knew 
nothing of the change produced by this poison 
peddler. " Their word will eat as doth a 
canker.'^ ''Taketh up a reproach against his 
neighbor. ' ' 

A VISION WHEN SLAIN — " THE PROPHECY 
FULFILLED." 

The last Sunday but one before leaving 
Alpine, 1 was slain, fell between two of the seats 
in the hall, was unconscious a part of the time. 



'72 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



I saw, in vision, two Indians dressed fantastic- 
ally, like clowns or play-actors, with cap and 
feathers, light pants, a frock of very bright 
colors '^of white, red and blue," with the 
foundation red, trimnjed with other colors, 
nerved for action, standing in that hall only a 
few feet from my head, looked as if they had 
been scuffling. A day or two afterwards, while 
staying at a friend's house, he asked me if I 
ever saw anything when I was slain. This 
vision came up, and I related it, and said, I 
don' t know what it means, except something is 
going to desecrate that hall ; but I shall know 
some time, the Lord will show me what it 
means. He has told me since that he related it 
in public a few days after I was gone from 
Alpine. In seven weeks I returned. Soon, I 
heard that the blindness and unbelief which had 
taken hack that hall and had been the cause of 
my appointment to preach in the streets of 
Alpine, and displeased God, had soon after ad- 
mitted (for money) an Indian show into that 
house, hall, turned it into a play-house. I un- 
derstand they were dressed as the Lord showed 
me in the vision some weeks before. I had to 
relate this the next Sunday after my return, in 
the meeting, in the hall, now with two claimants 
in dispute as to the right of possession and 

control, viz. : God and R , the proprietor of 

the house. One man, who had strongly opposed 
my being slain and other exercises, had been 
brought to death's door, his breath stopped, 
they, and he too, supposed his hour had come ; 
but he promised God if he lived he would serve 
Him, and preach the Gospel. He recovered at 
once; but was not cured of his scepticism nor 
opposition to me and my leadings 5 he was un- 
easy, asked me if I knew what I had returned 
for? I said, I don't know. In the night the 
Lord waked me and set to worry the devil. 
The next morning I told him what God had 
said, viz. : To worry the devil. 

A SPECIAL REVELATION — PREDICTION AND 
FULFILLMENT. 

Soon after the Hall at Alpine was dedicated 
to God, I was walking in it one day alone. The 
Lord showed me one of the seats which would 
he taken out to set a table for a donation feast 
for me, and required my consent, as I had op- 
posed donations not of God. It remained an 
entire secret until the day that I was taken out 
of jail, and still a prisoner to fill my appoint- 
ment to preach in the street. While I walking 
the room at the tavern, talking faith and defi- 
ance to the devil, the Lord brought me up to 
this prophecy, (a donation in that hall,) to the 
few that were in the room with me. Some 
laughed; one man said he would bet five dol- 
lars it would be so, although it had been closed 
against my preaching in it. But now, under 
very unfavorable circumstances, the Lord told 
me to say, '^I shall have a donation in that 
hall yet, for the Lord has showed me the seat 
that is to be taken out to set the table." And 
it came to pass. After about four months had 
passed, I had returned— held meetings— worry- 
ing the devil seven or eight weeks, in various 
ways, under God's direction. After meeting, 



on Sunday night, the owner of the house — the 
hall — came below, slapped me on the knee, and 
said, ' ' What do you think I have done ? I 
have given out for you a donation up stairs, 
Thursday night, in connection with the meet- 
ing. " I said, " Did the Lord tell you to? " He 
said, '' Yes, I thought He did. ' ' I said, '^♦Praise 
the Lord; I am glad to have His loill done in 
any way. ' ' But before retiring the Lord made 
me tell Him all. He bolted on the supper. It 
would cost $20; he could not have that; had 
always been opposed to donations. I said, 
" Then it toill he a failure.''^ But his wife 
suggested to me the next morning the delay of 
a week longer, and then an oyster supper. A 
friend suggested a ticket or some notice. While 
on my knees in my room, the following was 
given me from the Lord to write : 

OYSTER FEAST AND DONATION. 

An Oyster Feast and Donation will be held 
in the Nazarite Hall of John H. Rumsey in Al- 
pine, Thursday evening, March 19, 1868, for 
the benefit of A. Reddy and family. All are 
cordially invited — the rich and the poor, old 
and young, the widow's '' mite " and the child's 
penny, or anything else which they desire to or 
cheerfully give; '' and he that hath no money, 
come ye." By order of the committee. 

J. L. STOUGHTON, 
JOHN H. RUMSEY, 
M. P. HALL. 
G. H. WAGER. 
Alpine, March 11, 1868. 

The feast was had and it was said to be more 
like a religious meeting than otherwise. All 
seemed satisfied. 

THE POWER PRESENT TO HEAL. 

I had some singular exercises after my return 
to Alpine, in the meetings and in family 
prayer. At one time, at J. H. Rumsey' s, while 
on our knees in family prayer, I was set walk- 
ing on my knees towards him, but fell suddenly ; 
attempted to rise several times, but was thrown 
against the side of the house, my feet up, then 
down, then stretched, then I groaned, then 
cried and laughed alternately, like a woman in 
travail, in her extremity, Rumsey fell, and I 
was relieved at once. Soon I arose, but he lay 
three hours, as his wife said, who herself was 
healed in the meantime, as she told me after- 
wards; she thought it was more for her than 
for him. She had been a sufierer for some time 
in body. But it alarmed the devils and men 
loo at the tavern and other places; many of 
them came to inquire, aiid see him before he 
arose. 

mocking the devil's clowns. 

One evening, in the hall above in meeting, I 
had been slain. I arose and went to my seat 
by the side of the owner of the hall, who stood 
talking in the meeting. Soon my eyes rested 
on some three loose and round blocks, used now 
for loose seats about the stove, which had been 
torn up to make room for the. Indian show. 
The Spirit of the Lord told me to rise quick 



CRAFTY, WITH GUILE IMPRISONMENT. 



:;{ 



and set them rolling over the floor, as it had 
been turned into a play-house. I arose instant- 
ly and set two of them in motion, but the third 
one I followed, kicking it along before me 
towards the end of the hall, taking a seat 
among the sinners, as happy as any clown 
making sport for others, the congregation break- 
ing forth into a hearty laugh, while R , the 

preacher and owner of the hall talked on with- 
out interruption, and the Holy Ghost laugh 
came on me, taking my strength, and I went 
down again on the floor. Some days or weeks 
afterward, he asked me if I knew xohy the Lord 
set me rolling those blocks? I said, "Yes; it 
was to mock the play actors, who were allowed 
to desecrate that hall which you publicly con- 
sented to have dedicated to God. And He 
wanted the meeting-house and the play-house 
used for both at the same time, and show how 
it would look and appear together. He laughed 
but found no fault, for I suppose he had felt the 
rebuke at the time. God wanted it out in 
action; "actions speak louder than words." 
^' Sigh, cry and hoiol.''' See Ezek. xxi, 6, 7, 
12-U. 

CKAFTT, WITH GUILE. 

While I was absent from Alpine, in Broome 
county, I had a variety of experience. One 
frolicking, drinking young man, in leaving the 
cars one night, got his ankle mashed by the 
wheels. They took oS (amputated) his leg, 
but he was afterwards, by a council of doctors, 
pronounced beyond help. I was stopping with 
the preacher in another apartment of the same 
house, preaching a few times in the meeting- 
house close by. I heard of the decision, but 
had not seen him, but became interested, and 
got his unconverted sister to pray for him, and 
finally one morning made my way up to the 
side of his bed, and got hold of his hand, and 
felt of his forehead, without being suspected of 
design, talking to him some about giving his 
heart to God, while I had the evidence given 
ine of his recovery. The next day he was up, 
sitting in the rocking chair, quite cheerful. 

FEA.R OF FANATICISM. 

While stopping one night in Binghampton, I 
was invited by the sister to go with her to see 
a maiden woman who was given up to die of 
cancer in one of her breasts, as I learned. I 
had, before I started, assurance from the Lord 
of some good. I stood by her bedside and 
talked a little. I kneeled, laying my hand on 
her head and holding her hand. Jesus gave 
me love and the light of faith, which could help 
her; told me to rise and kiss her; I did, and 
said, "Susan, praise the Lord, He sent you 
that; praise the Lord^ I kneeled again and 
prayed for her healing, amidst the shouts and 
hearty responses of those present — father, moth- 
er, sister, and others. I arose suddenly and 
left the house, but learned by the sister that she 
took some exception to the kiss, but she and all 
were wonderfully blessed. She, as her mother 
said, the next morning, slept all night comfort- 
able, without disturbing her with six or seven 
hours of severe pain and trouble, as usual 
every night. Towards morning, ihfe Lord 



showed me that I must go in the morning, tell 

Susan, (who had backslidden somewhat from 

God,) the following, viz., "• The Lord says He 

wants me to see your breast, lay my hand on it 

in Jesus'' name, and j^ou promise you will not 

take any thing for it, nor put any thing on it. 

and He will heal you, soul and?joc?y." •' What 

j do you say, Susan? I am ready to help you 

j just as and only as the Lord leads me." But 

I she said she thought there was "danger of 

^fanaticism." I bid her adieu, could not say 

farewell; certain of her rejecting Jesus' only 

plan of cure. 



CHAPTER XIIL 



IMPRISONMENT. 



Angelica Prison, April "ith, 1868. 
Two or three days after the donation at 
Alpine, I had an intimation that the Lord was 
going to send me to Alleghany county again; 
saw myself sitting at Brother Baker's desk, 
writing. Brother B. had written me some four 
or five weeks before, saying: "Come and see 
me when the Lord will let you." When they 
learned this on Sunday morning, that I talked 
of leaving Alpine, I heard that some of the 
young men and others felt bad, almost cried: 
but I had to stay a few days for clothing, etc. 
But I had been to Brother Bakers not quite a 
week writing, &c., when I was arrested (for 
vagrancy — veiy convenient for their purpose), 
with warrant obtained by Brother B. 's brothers. 
One of the accusers, tJie complainant. (Uni- 
versalists, both of them), keeping the minutes 
or record of examination, instead of the Court. 
I made no defense, (and nothing was proved 
against me, one said he and I disagreed on 
religion), not even a witness. And they were 
cautious not to have their own brother sworn, 
subpoenaed by them, lest he should tell that he 
invited me to his house, and should find what 
was tme, viz. : That I had money in my pocket, 
and that God has not sent me out to beg, 
although I am "sent out without a purse or 
scrip." I have lacked nothing for these eight 
years next June. The Court said: "I shall 
hold you to bail of two sureties, five hundred 
dollars each." I said: "I have no bail, I am 
a sojourner." The instrument was made out, 
and the next day I was lodged in jail at 
Angelica. The following is a copy of the in- 
strument : 

ALLEGHANY COUNTY, 

TOWN OF WARD, 

To any constable of said county, and to the 

keeper of the common jail in said county: 

These are to charge and command you, the 

said constable, in the name of the People of the 

State of New York, forthwith to convey and 

deliver the body of Alonson Reddy, this day 

brought before the undersigned and charged. 

upon the oath of Andrew Baker, as being a 

disorderly person, and having no visible means 

(10) 



ss: 



74 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



of support; and whereas, the said Alonson 
Reddy was this day duly convicted before me, 
A. C. Hall, a Justice of the Peace of said 
county, upon complaint on oath of Joseph B. 
Watson, and otber competent testimony, of 
being a disorderly person and having no visible 
means of support • and whereas, upon such con- 
viction, I did require the said Alonson Eeddy 
to enter into recognisance with two sureties, 
each in the sum of five hundred dollars, for his 
good behavior for the space of one year; and 
whereas, the said Alonson Reddy made default 
in finding such sureties, and I, the said Justice, 
made up, signed and filed, in the County Clerk's 
Office, a record of conviction; you, the said 
constable, are therefore hereby required and 
commanded forthwith to convey and deliver the 
said Alonson Reddy into the custody of the said 
keeper; and you, the said keeper, are hereby 
required to receive the said Alonson Reddy into 
your custody in the said jail, and him there 
safely keep for the term of six months, or until 
he find such sureties, or be discharged according 
to law. 

Given under my hand this 6th day of April, 
1868. A. C. HALL, 

Justice of the Peace. 

I could not make it seem that T was a prisoner 
and going to jail. I told it to Brother B. and 
the constable twice on the way, of my feelings ; 
he said : " It is of the Lord, I feel good about it ; 
but it seems a little as if you would have to go 
further, it will be a miracle if }^ou do not." I 
saw at the first that I was going to copy and 
write my book, and finish my manuscripts for 
the printer, as I could seldom get much time out 
while at large. So I had to be caged up. No 
prisoners but one, and he out at large all day for a 
few days, and then but two for over two weeks ; 
so I had a good time to write, and I seemed 
impressed to hasten, that I would have but 
little time to spare and get my work done. I 
told the Sheriff I was sent there to board at the 
expense of the county and do my writing — that 
the devil would be ashamed of it. The Lord 
showed me after a little that 1 must read and 
pray in the mornings at least, although the two 
prisoners were Catholics. The first Sunday I 
said to the Sheriff's little daughter; "Now, if 
your folks do not feel as if they would be 
disgraced to be associated with prisoners, when 
they think proper, to come in while I read a 
chapter and pray." Soon, the whole family 
came in, and I began to read, and soon felt an 
intimation that God is going to do something 
with me. I drew a long breath or two while 
reading ; I sung a few verses. God was present 
wonderfully. I kneeled down and thanked the 
Lord that He had sent me here to this prison. 
God began to bless me more and more while I 
asked him to give me fruit in the salvation of 
Mr. Davis (name of SheriflF) and family. Soon, 
the holy laugh came into me, and I was slain. 
I learned that Sheriff's wife jumped and fled 
out of the prison, as if a locomotive was going 
to drive her off the track. She has never been 
in since, although a professor of religion. One 
Sunday morning the Sheriff happened in, or 



came in as I was reading, 1 said: ""We are 
about reading, if Mr. Davis has time, stay." 
" 1 can stay," said he, "but I do not want you 
to fall." But while I was standing up singing, 
before kneeling, the power came, and I went 
over backwards, struck the table, tipped it over, 
and all went down together. I lay there some- 
time, happy in the love of God, and everybody 
else, prisoners and all. Thus I would be slain 
many times. One wicked fighter came as 
prisoner, he said afterwards it like to have 
scared him to death the first time he saw me 
fall; but the fighting devil had become so afraid 
. of me that he would shut the iron door of his 
cell nights, lest I should come to him in the 
night, as I did have to do one night — the walls 
echoing their oaths through the day — I was 
waked, had to dress me, come out in the 
dark and pray. God told me to rise, for I 
had been slain, and go into the young man's 
room and speak to him, the devil telling 
me, "He will strike you," but I obeyed, and 
found the devil a liar, for he received me kindly. 
1 told him how deeply Jesus moved me for him ; 
asked him if he would promise he would give 
his heart to the Lord; that Jesus has sent me 
to ask you, as well as you can, from this time. 
He said, " Yes." I then said, " God bless you, 
William," and went to my bed. He treated 
me with civility; seemed afraid of something 
in me; would avoid the touch and tell me when 
I checked him for swearing: "It will do no 
good; I shall only swear worse. I do not want 
your religion. I never expect to be better; do 
not want to be." He seemed to want to get 
into a wrangle with two other prisoners, young- 
men. I was dreadfully distressed with profan- 
ity, and they tried to check themselves too; 
said they swore before they knew it. But I had 
to fast, and after twenty-four hours, just at 
break of day, the Lord awaked me and showed 
me that part of an old pack of cards they played 
with was one cause of my distress, and the 
power the devil had over them to make them 
swear and thus fill the prison ; so the Lord would 
wake me to see how this was ringing in my ears 
or mind; that it was the Spirit that told me the 
first day I came in to throw those cards into the 
stove, but my sympathies came up for the poor 
prisoners, (although but one, and he out all 
day;) that this was the cause and the offence, 
that I must go and put them into the stove, al- 
though they had sworn, threatened. But I 
obeyed God at once, thought may be they will 
ask about them, then I will tell them. But 
when the two boys were up, the Lord blessed 
me with love to them ; threw my arms around 
them before I was aware I had kissed them both. 
Then the Lord told me to tell them the history 
of the cards, that He had told me to rise and 
put them in the stove, and I did. They seemed 
stunned, never said one word of reply. Thave 
had to grab the young man, have a clinch, once 
tight, with him, to make the devil afraid. He 
struck me, and I was hurt some, but I plead for 
him, told the Sheriff not to be too severe, to 
blame him, (he was going to shut him up again, ) 
that his temper was impetuous. The Lord 
showed me the other day that I must call him 



\ 

REPROACH, SLANDER REPLY AND VINDICATION. 



75 



'' Oneissimus," whom I liave begotten in my 
bonds. The Lord gives me such lender iove to 
him, as if he were my own son. He reads a 
Testament I gave to another prisoner a good 
deal. The Lord told me to give two shillings 
to each. I was much blessed. They thanked 
me. I heard that one of them was tempted to 
buy a pack of cards, but he said he could not 
make up his mind to do it. 

The Sheriff and his family were very kind, 
and the Lord made me love them. I was so 
blessed many times while praying for them, 
that I would be slain, fall on the plank floor, 
and arise after a little with such love. I told 
him if it was not for the iron door between us, 
I would make a prisoner of the Sheriff" by throw- 
ing my arms around him. I did kiss him once 
by his consent. I told him the Lord made him 
seem like a brother. Once or twice he offered 
me an upper room by myself, but I did not want 
to leave the poor sinners to sink. But finally 
the Lord made it clear, and I accepted the offer. 
I had fasted considerably, sometimes two days 
without food or drink, and sometimes one day 
being burdened for the prisoners. I suppose 
the Sheriff saw I ought to have exercise, and he 
asked me if I would take a walk with him, aboiit a 
mile, to his farm, and I did. T hey saw I was get- 
ting poor and pale for want of exercise and open 
air. (such a change from being active day and 
night, in meetings, preaching, etc., for years.) He 
let me out entirely to go about as I chose, up in the 
Court House, and to his farm and village some, 
and finally I was not locked up day or night 
for many weeks. It had seemed very little like 
a prison any of the time, except the want of 
being in meetings, and where I could be doing 
others good as usual. But a week before the 
court, the Lord waked me up between one and 
two o' clock in the morning from a dream of a 
man's arms and head laying across my breast, 
weeping, saying, ^^ I am sick.'^ I inquired, 
''Is it Mr. Davis? You do not expect to get 
salvation without telling your name, do you? " 
But still the reply was, ^^ I am sick.^^ He 
stood up, a light complexioned man, took hold 
of my hands as I awaked out of sleep, the Lord 
saying to me, "Go to Mr. Kendall's," (a law- 
yer of Angelica, I was told that day, was given 
up by a council of doctors to die,) " tell them, 
the watchers, the Lord has sent me here to lay 
my hands on Mr. Kendall and heal hinV^ 1 
found the power of God was shaking me with 
the cross, from the adverse influences I felt was 
in the way. I arose, dressed myself, and 
kneeled down, but could get no more light; 
saw they would call me crazy, but consented, 
and supposed I should be sent to Utica. I said, 
' • I will go ; " and I did. It was noised abroad ; 
it alarmed the people of the village and the 
Sheriff's political enemies. I suppose he was 
afraid I would use it to his disadvantage. He 
locked me up again, especially nights, close. 
He told me he would not have had it for fifty 
dollars. The watchers did not let me into the 
sick man's room, and he died in four days. 

KEPBOACH AXD SLANDER. 

A few days after I had been in jail at 
Angelica, the Sheriff handed me a newspaper 



published in the south part of the county, con- 
taining a slanderous representation of me as a 
vagrant, giving my sirname wrong, Alonson 
Bradley : " A brute claiming a mission from 
God, and where it brought him. A miser- 
able being, professing to be a Minister of the 
Gospel, claiming to have been sent from God 
to cure the sick and cast out devils by the lay- 
ing on of hands, found his way into one of our 
towns lately. He added to his pretentions an- 
other for the cure of women, and found some 
wretched enough and foolish enough to listen to 
him. His career was brought to a timely end 
last week, by arrest as a vagrant, and his present 
office is one door west of the Court House, 
Angelica. The wretched man's name, as given 
by himself, (not so), is Alonson Bradley." 
After going to bed I was filled with thought and 
recollection of the many sufferers God had re- 
lieved by me, (although I had done nothing of 
this since I came here), and the many wrongs 
and misrepresentations to the public, and I a 
stranger. The Lord showed me that I must 
write a vindication. A little after the town- 
clock struck twelve, everything had become 
clear what to say. The Lord said: " Rise and 
write now while you have it!" I arose and 
wrote until about three o' clock, until my candle 
was used up. I took a copy, read it to the 
Sheriff, and he took it to the editor of the 
'■^Angelica Reporter.^^ It was not published, 
but the editor said if he had published the first 
he should leel obligation to publish the reply. 
I then changed the address with a copy to the 
editor of the " W'ellsville Free Press/' who 
wrote the article. After some weeks he came to 
Angelica, and called in to see me ; he acknowl- 
edged what I stated, and the evils referred to 
were true ; but finally said : '* I am sceptical, 
I am no reformer, I am after bread and butter." 
And I presume he never published the article, 
although liable for damages in a suit of slander, 
for he had picked it up from flying reports and 
inferences drawn from some conversation which 
I had relating to laying on my hands and heal- 
ing a woman of inflammatory rheumatism, and 
some delicate cases, before the court of examina- 
tion was called, and not from anything proved 
or even charged against me in the commitment. 

REPLY AXD VINDICATION. 

"J. Brute Claiming a Mission from God, and 
where it brought him.'' 

[For the Free Press.] 

Mr. Editor — I read the short article in your 
paper of the 15th April, with the above head- 
ing, adding, " A miserable being, claiming to 
be sent from God to heal the sick and cast out 
devils by the laying on of hands, and adds an- 
other for the cure of women, etc." Please 
publish this article as a reply and a vindication 
due the public and myself. The Lord shows 
me that while I am not allowed to personate or 
localize delicate cdses, yet the following state- 
ment of facts belongs to the people, to the pub- 
lic, and to myself also : 

A young woman, in Western New York, was 
diseased, and while she was relating to me her 
case in some of its aspects, I felt a deep inter- 



V6 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



est for her relief. After a time I said, "It 
seems to me that this is a judgment of God 
upon you for something." She replied, '"I 
think so too." After pressing my inquiries for 
the cause, she related in substance the follow- 
ing, viz. : That about a year and a half before, 
she and the man went to a distant village to a 
strange doctor, paid him twenty-eight dollars 
for his joli, she suffering a little less than death 
shortly after, and had been diseased and a suf- 
ferer (extreme at times) ever since. After re- 
lating (with some reluctance) the above, she 
stated that she was sworn on her knees to keep 
it secret. After making this full confession, 
God miraculously healed her body. She has 
fduce been married, (all respectable,) and a 
letter now in my possession shows that that 
woman is noio a happy mother. Another case: 
I was once called to pray for a neighbor woman, 
said to be dying. In three or four minutes after 
entering the house, while on my knees, another 
spasm seized her, and her voice and agonies 
ceased together: she lay still and silent in 
death. The doctor being present, said to me: 
'M charged her with having taken poison." 
She at last confessed that she had taken the oil 
of tanzy/ The young woman had one bright 
little girl, but she was unwilling to be what 
God made her to be — a mother again. While 
traveling in Tioga county last winter, I heard 
that a very popular doctor was called in the 
fourth instance in this bad work, but this time 
the woman died and the doctor left the place. 

Above sixty cases were laid to his charge, 
but not so fatal to the mother. Now I ask the 
candid to judge and decide where are the 
'•brutes." Is it the one that God sends to 
give relief to sufferers, or those who destroy 
li;fe? Brutes mostly love and take care of their 
young ; but here are more infants killed in this 
land than Herod killed in the land of Palestine 
in his search for the babe of Bethlehem, which 
caused such weeping of mothers then. But it 
does not now. Women are. diseased from this 
cause, and others of less or no guilt who are 
hastening to the grave, some beyond the reach 
of recovery by medicine or skill of physicians. 
God only can help them by His special reme- 
dies, and I have to yield consent to be misun- 
derstood, be called a hrute, or anything else, if 
I may be used by the Lord Jesus in affording 
relief to sufferers, whether of men or women; 
consent to be regarded as a vagrant, deprived 
of liberty and other rights, if this bad state of 
things can be interrupted and the unbelief be 
broken up — that which has made me a prisoner 
here and a tax on this county lor the half year, 
unless bailed out by strangers or otherwise re- 
leased,) because I am a sojourner, or, like the 
Apostles, " having no certain dwelling place;" 
or, like Jesus, my Saviour, who was " annoint- 
ed by the Holy Ghost, and loent about doing 
good, healing those that were oppressed of the 
devil." The article further states, '' His career 
came to a timely end. His present office is one 
door west of the Court House, Angelica. " I 
am here just the same happy (not "miserable") 
man and Christian as when I am outside ; for 



" Prisons do palaces prove. 

For Jesus does dwell with me there." 

And now, as far as I can, under these limited 
circumstances, " I am yet preaching the gospel 
to every creature," treating with kindness and 
civility all who think it proper to make me a 
"call at my lodgings," one door (said to be) 
west of the Court House, Angelica, asking no 
fee, or salary, or doctor' s bill. 

ALONSON REDDY, (not Bradley.) 
Angelica Jail, April 19, 1868. 

Casper Hawser, the name given to a youth 
who appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old, 
seen one morning in the streets of the city of 
New York, about thirty years ago or more. He 
was making some awkward moves, not knowing 
how to walk or how to act, because he had 
never been out of doors before; he had never 
seen even the person who had care of him, fed 
him, and changed his clothes; he had never 
heard folks talk, except a few times, or sounds 
of any kind. The only supposition that was 
formed of his history was that he was the child 
of some wealthy, proud, yet conscientious 
mother or parentage, whose conscience would 
not (as now they would do) allow the mother 
to kill her hahy. And yet public sentiment so 
severe she would not confess it and be exposed, 
but could not keep the boy longer concealed. 

PASCHAL SUPPER. 

When I leturned to Lockport the second win- 
ter, they all seemed glad of my return. They 
had been wanting the Sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper; had not had it for years, some of them. 
They told me what they had been wanting. I 
said, "Well, appoint it to be held some even- 
ing disconnected with any other meeting. " So 
when Tuesday evening came, I came in from a 
busy day of visiting, without any arrangement 
or thought. I dropped on my knees, as usual, 
in coming into a place of meeting; but as soon 
as I had closed my eyes, a vision was before 
me, — a very light room, especially around and' 
above the very large, six-legged table that be- 
longed to the house, spread with a white cloth 
upon it, standing in the middle of the room, no 
person at it and nothing upon it but the white 
cloth. My attention was held, and I w^as a 
little surprised, being a Methodist and always 
kneeling at the altar or bench. But the Lord 
showed me the upper room where Jesus and His 
disciples '"ate the Passover" in the evening 
sitting around the table. I did not know how I 
should get through, for it seemed almost like strik- 
ing out a new path, at least untrodden at the pres- 
ent day. But I could see nothing else before 
me, and then too, 1 was so wonderfully sur- 
rounded and blessed with the Divine Presence, 
I could not doubt. After remaining on my 
knees ten or twelve minutes, I arose, to be led 
in a new path in a way I had not known, but 
to trust the Lord to take me through. The ta- 
ble was cleared and set out; but such a season 
of association with Jesus and the Twelve, (nine- 
teen of us,) we never had before. One young 
sister had the power of God upon her while in 



PETITION TO THE JUDGE. 



/ / 



her chair ; was motionless, her ey«s wide open. 
She had a vision ; I believe she has never told, 
except '• I praise the Lord for what He showed 
me that night," was all she would ever say. A 
brother had the cross to be baptized, he and his 
wife, at the close. It is never to be forgotten. 
One instance since that, the Spirit has specially 
called me to '' eat the Passover " with the dis- 
ciples of Jesus, at which season (at Waterport, 
Orleans county, "» four children were baptized. 
One sister fell while another was praying at the 
close, around the table, and one woman of the 
house was converted to God, whose husband 
had threatened to shoot me if I laid my hands 
on his wife' s head ; came four times to coax her 
out, but she said she would not leave till she 
found the Lord. 

On finding that I was illegally imprisoned 
according to the statute, one night the Lord 
gave me the following petition to the Judge, 
who lived seven miles away. I saw myself with 
it, and the Sheriff before him. But by letting 
the Sheriff take it without taking we, as the 
Lord had showed me, it failed; yet he said the 
Court could release me. 

Angelica Jail, June 2nd, 1868. 
A. Reddy, now a prisoner in Angelica Jail, 
(for vagrancy, ) To Mr. W. Hatch, Judge of 
Court for Allegany county: 

Dear Sir : Permit me in this manner to ad- 
dress you, although a stranger. I am a travel- 
ing preacher and Minister of the Gospel, have 
been for above thirty years; but for the last 
eight years it has been my exclusive business, 
mostly in this State — in Ohio and Pennsylva- 
nia some — preaching to prisoners and the poor 
in county houses for the poor, visiting the sick 
and dying, holding meetings in meeting and 
school houses, and sometimes in the streets of 
villages and cities, attending camp-meetings 
and others of my own notices, being of course 
absent from my family and place of residence, 
(Orleans county,) the most of the time. In the 
village of Alpine, Schuyler county, last fall, I 
preached every night but four, for six weeks, to 
a crowded congregation, and labored among 
them a little more than six months, except 
about seven weeks absence from them in Tioga 
and Broome counties, preaching, visiting the 
sick and the poor, without any stipulated sala- 
ry. The people of Alpine had just made me a 
public donation in the Hall where the meetings 
were being held, generously bestowing nearly 
thirty dollars for my benefit, only a few days 
before I came from there to the town of Ward, 
where I was specially invited by letter. (I came 
to do some writing which has employed me 
here, relieving the solitude, &c.) But I had 
been there but a few days before my work was 
interrupted by my being brought before a Jus- 
tice's Court on a charge of '■'■vagrancy^' — -"dis- 
orderly person,^ ^ and '-having no visible means 
of support,'^ (a convenience for them I sup 
l)Ose. ) I made no defence, not even to show the 
friend's letter who invited me, or the money in 
my pocket, sufiBcient for all necessary expenses. 
But regarding it as a religious persecution, I 
made no reply except when called on for bail I 



said " I have no bail, I'm a sojourner." The 
complainant keeping the minutes or record of 
examination instead of the Court. I was then 
committed to jail for the term of six months, or 
until such sureties be found, or be discharged 
according to law. Some persons here, sympa- 
thising I suppose, have discovered by the stat- 
ute </ia^ J a??! iZZegraZ/y imprisoned. If as "« 
disorderly person,'' see $102 of statute, a 
wrong and violation of the law is seen 
clearly. It says: " In default of sureties being 
found, the Justice shall make up and file in 
the County Clerk's Office a record of such 
conviction, specifying generally, tJie nature and 
circumstances of the offense, and by warrant 
under his hand commit such offender to the 
common jail of the city or county, there to re- 
main until such sureties be found or such offen- 
der be discharged according to law." 

You will remark in my commitment two 
points of law are violated if the offender is a 
disorderly person. First, there is no specifica- 
tion at all, of the nature of the offense, not even 
general. Second, The law says such offender 
" shall remain in jail until such sureties be 
found." The document framed to hold me 
says six months. But if the §106, the law of 
vagrancy, then a greater wrong and violation 
of the statute is clearly observed. It says: 
" Or if the offender be an improper person (for 
relief at the poor house) to be committed to the 
bridewell or house of correction of such city or 
county, if there be one, and if none, to the com- 
mon jail of such county, for a term not exceed- 
ing sixty days, there to be kept, if the Justice 
thinks proper so to direct, upon bread and wa- 
ter only, for such time as he shall direct, not 
exceeding one-half of the time for which he 
shall be committed. ' ' I suppose the appropri- 
ate business of a court is to execute the laws 
already made, instead of making one for the 
occasion. But if the two sections are both ta- 
ken as they are, no law could be made of them 
that would hold me a prisoner for the term of 
six months — not over sixty days, as defined in 
the act, to accord with my commitment or sen- 
tence. I have now served as a prisoner sixtj^ 
days on the fourth (4th) day of June, about as 
much time as should be sacrificed to this kind 
of vagrancy. The design had in this lengthy 
address and petition is to pray therefore the 
respected Judge to examine these facts in my 
case and grant me a discharge and release from 
this confinement, and thus aid me so I can have a 
wider sphere and larger limits in preaching the 
gospel as far as I may be able to, "to every 
creature,''^ for ''I must preach to other cities 
also, for therefore am I sent." The most char- 
itable construction I am able to put upon the 
wrong is that the Justice took the six montlts 
mentioned in the class of vagrants to be sent to 
the poor-house or alms-house for relief, and put 
it to my case of common jail instead of sixty 
days. 1 saw the Justice was, or appeared to 
be confused, and he gave the finishing up of 
the writing to a young man i^resent — perhaps 
it was his son. 

N. B. — The Lord showed me that I would 
have been released after sixty days it I had 



78 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



went with the petition. But he found me 
"something to do or bear." The County Court 
set after four months and more. They were 
uneasy at my imprisonment — wanted to^release 
me and please every one but God. A friend 
came and told me what they wanted and said. 
Tlien I wrote the Reply to their proposition. 

Proposition made by the Judge and officers 
of the County Court held at Angelica, August 
17-22, 1868, to A. Reddy, now a prisoner in 
the jail, committed for vagrancy and want of bail. 

A Reply. — I understand that if I will only 
promise, give my word that I will not go 
to Dewitt Bakers, and that region town of Ward 
or West Almon, a Christian brother and family 
who have done washing for me since here, and who 
wrote for me last winter to come to his house 
from Schuyler county, and at whose house I 
Avas arrested in a few days, by precept obtained 
by two of his brothers opposed to God. 

On this condition, the above named officers 
propose to release me from confinement here in 
jail, for the six and a half weeks remaining of 
my six months imprisonment. 

I have looked at this proposition as a con- 
tract, if I accede to it, as a solemn obligation 
which I should feel conscientiously bound to 
keep. But first, I see it is indefinite, they do 
not say whether the terms of wearing this new 
chain of restraint, though on larger limits, shall 
be for a month, a week, or forever. I see some 
difficulties, and also some dangers, and first, as 
a preacher, a servant of God, I have no right 
to bind myself I will not preach nor visif in 
any certain territory unless the Holy Ghost 
forbid me, as he did Paul and Silas in Asia 
once. My parish is the world — to the poor, the 
sick and dying. If Brother Baker, or any of 
his family, were sick, or dead, or dying, I am 
cut ofiffrom them to attend their funeral by this 
promise. Then again: if God should be dis- 
pleased with me (and He would be) for making 
such promise to inen, and should leave me to 
break my leg or arm, or be otherwise disabled 
by laying the heavy hand of sickness on me ; 
then Brother Baker would want to take me to 
his house, nurse and take care of me ; then the 
promise would be violated, and his Universal ist 
brothers, and others too, would say: Here, he 
has lied. And then, too, I see that this is just 
what the devil wants, so he can get at the lambs 
of Christ's flock, separated and alone, then he 
would have a fair chance at him again as he had 
when I found him last winter, sick in body, 
and mind too. (J am no hireling.) Now, in 
view of all these considerations, (although they 
seem willing to take my naked word — trust my 
honor, ) I think it would be a hazardous step. 
T feel safe here, in the old jail, I have proved 
it four and a half months, out of the six allotted 
me; have met no serious accident nor sickness, 
'•for Jesus does dwell with me here." 

I had rather be a prisoner, locked up safe, 
than to be made a prisoner still in a new form, 
outside and at large, under such restrictions 
imposed on me by the blindness of unbelief, 
claiming such usurped prerogatives — an insult 
to God the Sovereign Judge, and also to common 
sense, and to manhood too. 



N.B. — They may dispose of my case as they 
think proper, I assure you I shall not find fault 
with their decision. To Mr. Jones, the bearer, 
respect for your interest and sympathy. 

A. REDDY. 

They, of course, did not change their condi- 
tions, and consequently I remained the happy 
prisoner of the Lord to 6th October, lb68, 
"glad to find in every station" "something 
still to do or bear. 

Mr. Davis, the Sheriff, had been mortified, 
(fifty dollars, as he said,) and blamed me for 
going in the night to see Mr. Kendal, a lawyer, 
very sick in the place, given up to die by a 
council of doctors. The Lord awakened me, 
told me to go to his house and tell them: " The 
Lord has sent me here to lay my hands on Mr. 
Kendal and heal him.'^ The watchers said: 
" He is too far gone. ' ' I said : " He is better 
than a dead man." But they did not want me 
to make any noise or go into his room. God' s 
power was on me wonderfully; but soon, the 
Lord said: " That will do." So I returned 
(with my peace returned to me) to my bed in 
the jail ; (he died four days afterwards. ) I had 
to consent to the Lord when I first arose from 
bed to be sent to the Lunatic Asylum at Utica, 
many could be found who would readily swear 
that I was crazy for that. Then when Mr. 
Davis made a reference to it after the court 
week, I then wrote him the following reply, viz. : 

A. Reddy to Sheriff: 

Mr. Davis : — Every body must blame me 
who will for going to see that sick and dying 
man, Mr. Kendal, at the two o'clock hour of the 
night. " What was I that I could withstand 
God " when He calls? I thought to wake you 
to go with me, but the Lord showed me I must 
carry my boots that squealed so, not to disturb 
you. I can endure the disapprobation of 
mortals, but God's displeasure I cannot endure, 
even for an hour, much less than to be exposed 
by disobedience to Him, to endure it forever 
and ever, whatever the consequences to myself 
may be here, they can only kill the body. I 
must and I will "fear (and obey) Him who is 
able to destroy both soul and body in hell, yea, 
I say unto you, fear Him,^' Jesus the Christ. 

TRAA'AILI'NG IN BIRTH. 

The Lord gave me some wovk to do, and 
some things to bear for Jesus while I was a 
prisoner at Angelica. Towards the end of my 
time I became again deeply interested and in 
travail for Mr. Davis, the Sheriff" Three or 
four weeks I was the only prisoner; he had 
been sick many times — had poor spells, some- 
times very sick. He said he respected me, but 
had no confidence in being helped by the lay- 
ing on of my hands and refused to let me. I 
was distressed at times by his unbelief. The 
Lord awaked me singing or praying — had to 
get up and pray sometimes several times in the 
night, and only find relief by God's power and 
spirit upon me to roar or set laughing. It 
seemed that Mr. Davis would die soon. And I 
was brought one night or morning to consent to 
lay down my life — to die, fhsit he might be 



COUNTERFEITS ON GOD S BANK. 



79 



spared to get salvation and die in peace. Just 
after day-light I dreamed that I was sent as an 
officer to a prison to see the conduct of some three 
women who were there prisoners. But they 
were not locked up. One of them had to be 
called — but seemed cross — did not like to show 
herself. I saw her prominent breasts, and a 
ten-jold ruffle around her neck — that she was 
the mother of a child that was inside the prison 
laying naked across the cracks of the rough 
plank floor, unnursed and neglected to die, 
with a very large head and prominent forehead. 
I said, as I arose, here's a child you must nurse 
and take care of I took hold of his feet, and 
put my hand under his shoulder, but he did not 
want to lire; he flounced and doubled up to- 
wards me, so strong that I wondered, but I felt 
the power of God so it stiffened my hands. 
Well, I thought that icill cure him so he will 
loant to live. A roar came out of me, and I 
awaked, laughing heartily. I knew it was from 
God. I thanked Him for the dream — that He 
would be his own interpreter and make it clear. 
Instantly while, on my knees, that child's large 
head was referred to Mr. Davis; I laughed and 
praised God — a child born (spiritually) by my 
travail in the Holy Ghost. But did not want 
my hands to touch him. That the ruffled neck- 
ed mother represented the popular and proud 
and unskillful church, who would be ashamed 
of and would not own or know hoio to nurse 
and take care of a Nazarite baby (who didn't 
himself want to live) — requiring patience and a 
deep experience. I called the Sheriff into the 
prison after two weeks and told him the above ; 
said Jesus showed me I must call you brother 
Davis. God made me love him with such a fond- 
ness I arose to kiss him, but he said " I don't 
want any demonstrations. " I then saw that this 
was the first struggle of the boy, or child, who 
did not loant to live, avoiding my hands by 
which the change would be effected, according 
to the dream. I wept and prayed and longed 
to see him free — tried to get him to pray in his 
family, and finally was told by the Lord to 
wTJte him the following letter and send it to 

him, viz: 

September 12, 1868. 

Brother Davis — The Lord wants me to 
write you and say the following words, viz. : 
"Jesus wants me to embrace you as my broth- 
er — to greet you with a kiss of love, and lay 
my hands on your head in His name and He 
will heal you soul and body.'" You have the 
impression that I am deranged at times, or 
deluded, because of my singular exercises and 
strange demonstrations — and not a man of God 
—doing His will and led by His Spirit. Jesus 
wants to disabuse your mind by this test. I 
hope in God you will not peril the consequen- 
ces to yourself by treating this (may be the 
last) with stoical indifference nor with a deci- 
ded rejection through unbelief, for this is from 
God. He gives me such love for you that the 
most menial service would be cheerfully per- 
formed to do you good. I felt the other night 
that the tender heart of Jesus was grieved when 
I was not allowed to kiss you. 

The remedy is very simple like the washing 



seven times in Jordan of the leprous Naaman — 
which was the Lord's plan by the Prophet that 
so vexed him at first, until his servant said, 
"Master, if the Prophet had told thee to do 
some great thing, wouldst thou not have done 
it? How much more when he said go wash 
seven times and be clean J'^' With deep emotion 
even to tears, I've written this. God bless you. 
Amen. I have still a very tender love and 
great respect for you, and for your many acts of 
kindness manifested towards me, your ])ri8oner. 

A. REDDY. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



>rrscELL.vxEOus. — counterfeits ox (iOIj's 

BANK. 



Betavebx thirty and forty years ago, there* 
was a great and general revival all over this 
land, (north especially,) such as had not been 
for many years, of pure religion. It brought 
the church up in sight of God, of the looked- 
for "Millenium," and of those forfeited gifts 
of the Spirit, and of miracles, so essential to 
success as well as to the existence of the Churcli 
of God. But the Church did not step forward 
and take these presented blessings, because of 
unbelief or fear. Soon after this neglect, yea, 
in a short time after, "Mormonism " was born. 
And soon this brat of the devil stepped up in 
sight and laid claim to all those gifts of the 
Spirit, (to Immediate Revelation,) working in 
its other corruptions and counterfeits, calling 
themselves "The Latter Day Saints," And 
since, like a satyr, she sits mocking the real 
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ by this coun- 
terfeit, so that it exposes any and all to be 
branded with the disgrace of being called Mor- 
mons who even talk or claim to believe the 
above truths. Then, in quick succession, an- 
other child, (bastard, disowned too, by its own 
mother, viz., the Chureh, was born as the fruit 
of this amalgamation, this spiritual adultery in 
unbelief, between the church and the world, ) 
named "Spiritualism," which began soon to 
claim communion with angels and to be guided 
— and after a little to be also inspired by de- 
parted spirits, leading them to prescribe for the 
sick, to predict future events, and they have 
claimed and also attempted to raise the dead. 
And so deeply has the people generally been 
vsmitten by this counterfeit in some form, that 
the great controversy and question in the reli- 
gious world now is, "Whether there is air// 
Holy Ghost.'^ Preachers can and do write and 
re-write their sermons from books and other 
sources, and are taught in the schools how to 
read, to accent, punctuate, and to perform the 
gestures of a public speaker; and hence, do not 
see or feel their need of any Holy Ghost, (re- 
jecting the supernatural xow as unnecessary). 
And while a Spiritualist only claims to be a 
"Medium" or "Trance-Medium," these ap- 
pear as proprietors, (many of them.) and not as 
the servants of God, "receiving the law from 
His mouth, and warning the people from Him." 



80 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY 



Yet both these sects claim the badges of the 
true Church, such as opposition from unbelief 
and persecution. " Yea, all that will live god- 
Iv in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." — 
Paul. 

Now, these two "illegitimate" children of 
the Church of God have not only usurped claim 
to these gifts, and guidance, and inspiration of 
miracles, etc. , but they have taken each of them 
respectively at least one step in advance of 
what the Church has ever stood in, at least 
professedly. That step is in the social relation 
of the sexes. The Mormons leave all — wife, 
children, and relatives, to join the saints of the 
latter day, taking then as many wives as they 
are able to maintain. The Spiritualists, I sup- 
pose, take the ground of free love and inter- 
course, either from natural affinities or from 
being directed by the spirits, or of both, even 
to annul the marriage contract. Now, all these 
'views and steps are but a counterfeit, an at- 
tempt of the devil and unsanctified nature seek- 
ing selfish gratification in a religious way, and 
thus to supplant the Spirit of the Lord in His 
special leadings and unerring guidance of the 
child of God. And I now see clearly that this 
has come to pass on the very same grounds of 
the other counterfeits, viz, : because the mem- 
bers of the Church have been called by the 
Spirit in this direction and shrank, have ne- 
glected, delayed to obey this special call and 
voice of the Holy Ghost. And from the same 
cause, viz.: through unbelief and fear of re- 
proach aud of the law of Moses; and that it 
was not the will of God, the voice of the Spirit 
calling them into this intimate association. 
And having shrank and doubted by the de>'il's 
ingenious lies, they have attributed their 
thoughts to the devil's temptations. And yet 
some of these have, after backsliding on it, 
(grieved the Spirit by doubt,) they have been 
pressed by the devil into this very path which 
God called them to — an old cross — and have 
been inspired by the devil to teach and to prac- 
tice this doctrine. But it is in a distorted form, 
mixed with much error, besides being under the 
devil's control, thus claiming pre-eminence over 
the religion of love, found alone in God. This 
sexual association is being held under the spe- 
cial and immediate direction and cross by the 
Holy Spirit in every case and in every instance, 
(and not as a rule.) or it would be adultery, 
selfish and licentious, and consequently done for 
the devil. And yet I see that when they get 
near to God again, He will tell them as to Jo- 
nah. This close counterfeit of the devil is used 
to scare the conscientious away, just like the 
first. The miraculous and special guidance has 
been usurped and used to supplant the church of 
her rightful inheritance. We must consent to be 
called ''corrupt," ''licentious," or anything, 
only so the will of God is done. 

" THEY SPAKE AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE 
HOLY GHOST." 

In 1832, soon after I was converted to God, I 
arose in an evening meeting to speak a few 
words only. The last sentence is all that 1 have 
ever remembered saying, they were these, viz. : 



" I feel that Jesus is mine.^^ The next I was 
conscious of, my name was called, saying, " I 
am glad God has blessed you." I heard some 
voice with great energy saying, ''Glory to God.''^ 
Soon I heard another neighbor's voice talking 
in the meeting, and I still heard the voice 
sounding, " Glory to God.^^ Then the third 
one talked, and the other voice of ' ' Glory to 
God ' ' was sounding loud, but now for the first 
time I found it to be my own voice, over which 
I had no control or agency. I soon found I was 
stiff, could not move hand or foot, only the or- 
gans of speech and the inward man were forc- 
ing out the glory which was boiling over in me 
— all the rest of me was a "prisoner of the 
Lord." 

" Oh, the rapturous height of that holy delight 
Which I felt in the life-eiviiig blood 
Of my Saviour possess'd, I was perfectly bless'd, 
As if filled with the fullness of God." 

An old school-mate was struck under convic- 
tion by the circumstance. How that blessing 
lasted !— praise the Lord ! 

A TRANCE AND VISION. 

A sister Young, living in the town of Almon, 
Allegany county, one evening, while we were 
in family prayer, was found at the close lapped 
into a chair, head and arms, sitting on the floor, 
her strength gone by the power of God. After 
a while she began to talk to her brother, who 
had died in the army hospital, and she had had 
fears that he was lost. Being asked the next 
morning about it, she had no knowledge of talk- 
ing, but said she saw her brother coming in 
soldier's clothes to shake the hand with her, 
looking happy, smiling, and said, ' ' You are 
happy." She said, " Yes, but I suppose I am 
not as happy as you are." That Jesus stood 
by her side; He talked with her; saw a vast 
multitude, some that she knew; the bound of 
the multitude was beyond her sight in every 
direction, all in the open air; that they all 
seemed happy; that she and Jesus and others 
she knew (that I was one of them) stood 
in the centre, apparently, of the vast multitude 
which she could not number. 

RESTORED AGAIN. 

In 1866 we stopped to feed and take dinner 
with a brother Hyde, a Wesleyan class leader, 
in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., a man about 
sixty years old, who once had enjoyed the bles- 
sing of perfect ,love about a year, as he said 
when I asked him; but said, " I can never get 
that blessing again." I said, '• Brother Hyde, 
if I could get you into a contract — pledge you 
will kneel down here and never get up from 
your knees until you are restored — bind your- 
self so tight you can' t get away, and so that the 
devil can't get you away neither; I will make 
the promise too. The devil has lied to you, as 
he did once to me for years after I had lost the 
blessing. Will you do it?" "I ought to," said 
he. ''That's not the question," said I, "but 
will you?" After a little I said, " What do you 
say. Brother Hyde?" He laughed; we began 
to be blest with the light of faith. I then said, 
" If you kneel down under that condition I am 



TRICKED OUT OF IT MOCKING TIIK DEVIL. 



81 



just as sure the Lord will restore you now as 1 
am that I am here, for Jesus has just given me 
the witness of it." He looked up and laughed, 
and without saying a word but "let's kneel 
down." But it was not twenty minutes before 
the power came, on me first, then presently the 
witness; I said •' The Lord ^as come." '-Yes," 
said he. I said, ^'■Praise the Loid." He be- 
gan to praise the Lord, the tears of joy coursing 
down his cheeks, and saying '' Here is where I 
lost it, in not praising the Lord aloud when it 
was a cross." He got up, walked the house, 
clapping his hands and praising the Lord. 

TRICKED OUT OF IT. 

A sister in Cattaraugus county, while in a 
peason of prayer, in her own house, began to 
feel the power of God taking away her strength, 
being blest wonderfully, such as she never had 
felt before. Suddenly the thought about falling 
there among the men! She turned pale, began 
to tremble, and was going over. Next came as 
quick as thought, '■•It is Mesmerism.''^ I had 
laid one hand on her head. The Lord left her 
instantly; I tried to get her to tell what it was 
tbat Satan said that had made her shrink, and 
had grieved the Spirit, for I felt it and saw it. 
But she would not tell until some days after- 
wards at a camp-meeting. She came running 
and screaming for mercy, asking me to put my 
hands on her head and pray for her. The spell 
and distress was broken and soon gone ; but she 
did not get into God. The devil was too smart 
— too quick — and had tricked her out of it by 
the lie of science — of Mesmerism — because it 
was new to her. 

MOCKING THE DEYIL. 

I said to a young woman where I was stop- 
ping: "If you will thread that needle for me I 
will give you a dollar.'' I was going to say a 
cent, but it came out a dollar. My eyesight 
was dim, and I supposed the eye of the needle 
closed. But she put through the thread, and 
the other woman present laughed and said: 
" There, now, you must give her the dollar." 
I said: " You are in no hurry for it, are you?" 
She said : ' ' No. ' ' But I was worked up. The 
devil said: "There, you old fool, just as you 
have always called Herod, who promised the 
dancing damsel half of his kingdom, and you 
have been thus inconsiderate and without con- 
sulting the Lord; and now, if you keep your 
promise, the folks will think that it is for some 
consideration, just like the devil's children." 
I found myself contriving to put it off to some 
private moment, to save the speech of others 
about it. The girl was a lame seamstress, and 
poor at that. Soon, the Lord showed me that 
it was His Spirit in me had caused me to say 
dollar instead of cent, that I must give her the 
dollar right before the company, say nothing, 
and let the impression go just in that light. I 
took out my wallet, laid the dollar on her work 
and said: "There, I have fulfilled my promise." 
I think I said nothing about the temptations 
that had beset me. But God has showed me 
since that it was done to mock the devil, and 
hence he was at once disturbed, and had made 



the rush on me to get me to blame myself before 
I found it was the Lord, and what it was for. 
Thus it uses the devil up when the Holy Ghost 
mocks him with holy mimicry by any of God's 
sanctified ones. 

Another Case.— Two Nazarite sistei-s set go- 
ing the donation for me at Alpine, and after- 
wards made and fixed my clothes. But as soon 
as the donation was fixed upon, the Lord told 
me to get each of them a new dress just alike 
out of it, off the same piece, and so I did, but 
had told no one of it. One of them said she 
was glad, and her husband and all her folks 
laughed and were pleased. But the other sis- 
ter, after a little, became "tempted, said they 
would say now it was in consideration of some 
intimacy, just as the devil's children do and 
act, and make presents. I said, " That is just 
what God wants you to do, viz. : cheerfully 
consent to let them have that impression with- 
out even wishing to make an apology or excuse. 
Let it pass just in that light and thus be mis- 
understood and misrepresented as doing the 
very same things and acting under the same 
motives as the unsanctified do, for the Lord's 
sake, and take the reproach of it, that you may 
be separated from the world and your name 
cast out as evil for the Son of Man's sake." The 
Lord shows me that this also was done to mock 
the devil, and hence the temptation besetting 

her. Two Nazarite brethren, B and 

T , have each of them told me that they 

found themselves drawn, and after yielding to 
it, they were wonderfully blessed of God, to 
use some vulgar and low phrases such as some 
of the most filthy of the devil's children use in 
private and otherwise. They did not know at 
the time fully what it was for, and a great cross 
to stoop as it appeared at first ; but soon found 
that God was leading them thus to use up the 
devil on his own ground — mocking the devil 
and his children in their own phrases; yet they 
were not profane words. 

I have been myself drawn and specially, 
called in a few instances to use the expression 
" God Almighty.'" It seemed a little like 
swearing, and it was a great cross, and I have 
tried to avoid it and have several times said, 
" Lord Almighty," but have not been clear or 
released until I have come to the "-preaching 
I hid thee.'' Once at a camp-meeting, where 
the Ruler had forbid me taking any part in the 
meeting, the Lord showed me where I must 
stand, and made me say, " God Almighty has 
sent me here, and I claim the right to speak on 
that ground. I have counted the cost, and am 
ready to go to prison or to death." I talked 
and then was arrested, but they backed out and 
let me go on. But I never use the expression 
only when I must, and the occasion extraordi- 
nary. But I cannot tell but God may yet lead 
some of His sanctified ones even to mock and 
shame the devil out of this too, viz., profanity, 
after mocking and using him up in the various 
ways heretofore referred to in this work. When 
God can get a person fully saved, ' ' made per- 
fect through suffering," as Jesus was, then they 
are proof against the devil ; they can then be 
led by the Holy Ghost and taken through the 

(11) 



82 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



devil's dominions unharmed, and come out like 
the three Hebrew captives from the fiery fur- 
nace, without the smell of fire on them. Glory 
to God and the Lamb forever and ever — Amen. 

SUCCESSFUL HEALIXG THE SICK. 

I found a German woman in "Wayne county, 
in 1862, very sick with pain in the stomach, (fee. , 
in keen distress for some days. I laid my hand 
on her head, took hold of her hand, and began 
to sing. It seemed some of the time that I 
should fall with the power of God wonderfully 
on me, but I did not fall that time. The Lord 
told me to put my lips on hers, and I held them 
there a little. Soon He told me to lay my hand 
on her stomach, while standing by her bedside. 
She remained some four or five minutes with 
her eyes closed, and without motion, while I 
sang on with Jesus within. When she opened 
her eyes I said, ' ' Are you in pain ?' ' She said 
' • No. " "Do you want to get up ?" She said 
" Yes." I got her dress, and in a few minutes 
she was out in the room, clapping her hands, 
and said, "The devil is gone." I left her 
well. 

KEBUKED — CONVINCED — HEALED. 

My wife, I suppose, had mistrusted some of 
my delicate leadings, ahd had been tempted 
and tried, no doubt. Once when I was home, 
she came several times into the front room, 
where I sat at the desk writing. She drew a 
long breath, and said, ' ' How my side pains 
me," then returned to the back room. It had 
not gained my attention, until she finally came 
again, stood near me groaning, and said, " I 
have got a dreadful pain in my side; I wish 
you would put your hand on my side and pray 
for me." I looked up and said, " I cannot get 
to your side." She said, " Can' t you put your 
hand on the outside of my clothes ?" I said, 
" It would not do any good if I did, the paiii 
is not in your clothes. The Lord then showed 
me how to help her. I slapped my hand on 
my lap, and said, ^ ' Sit down here. ' ' She 
opened her dress ; I laid my hand on her side, 
while with the other I squeezed her to myself 
with such love — a halo of glory all around us — 
laughing, and she laughing, and was set to 
sweating profusely in one quarter the time I 
have been telling it; said. "I am healed!" 
wiping the sweat from her face with the towel 
she had in her hands. I said playfully, "There, 
now, I guess you will do," resuming my writ- 
ing, and she to her own work again, with 
distance nearly annihilated for the time, which 
unbelief or jealousy, may be both, had reared 
up as a barrier between us. But all of it on 
her side of the house, if there was any. 

INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM. 

When getting near home once, and stopping 

over night, I learned that a Sister S , one 

of my near neighbors, had been sick some time, 
nearly helpless with inflammatory rheumatism. 
The Lord gave me the light of faith then and 
there; showed me I must go and heal her. The 
next day after I arrived home, I went to see 
Sister S- — ; I took hold of her hand, but she 



was ready to yell, supposing she would be in 
pain, as heretofore she had been. I tauntingly 
and playfully said : ' ' See, now, the unbelief. ' ' 
" Well," she said, " I know how it has been." 
*' Yes," said I, "and you think it is going to 
be so always." I left the bed-room with the 
door open, to sit down to the table to eat some 
dinner the hired girl had prepared, but could 
not ask a blessing. I arose, went into the 
room, and when I came out again I had the 
sick woman in my arms, out of the bed, mak- 
ing her walk belore me, while the heat from her 
inflamed body was transmitted or transferred 
to my body, and seemed hotter than a blanket 
heated to a scorching point, pressed against my 
flesh. As we came out of the room, she said, 
" 0, Jesus, help me!" and we both fell back- 
wards, I having the healed woman in my arms 
still. She has told me since that she never had 
any pain since that hour, left of that disease ; 
although she had told me that not only the 
joints were sore in pain and lame, but also her 
flesh was lame and sore in every part, and I 
had laid my hands on her almost entire body 
while on my knees by the side of her bed in 
prayer. Soon I arose and kissed her, and fell 
instantly in the room. While there the Lord 
told me to get up, lift her up, ( as Peter did the 
lame man at the gate of the temple, ) and make 
her walk. I have kept many of these delicate 
cases nearly secret, until of late the Lord shows 
me He must have them out now. 

PRESENT FAITH " GUIDED " BY THE SPIRIT. 

At one of the Allegany camp-meetings in 
Cattaraugus county, a young man was on his 
knees seeking sanctification, while two or three 
others were praying for him for some time 
without getting through. I kneeled down to 
help them. Soon the suggestion from the Lord 
that hands should be laid on him and thus help 
him through. I examined closely but said 
nothing, to see if He meant my hands, for I 
would not do it unless the Lord told me to do 
it. Presently I looked up and saw a Sister 
B , a maiden school-teacher who had ob- 
tained this blessing about eight feet from us, 
coming with her eyes both closed, her right 
hand raised up, and her left hand stretched out 
towards the head of the young man, and laying 
it on as she brought her right hand down al- 
most to the ground, saying, ''You are blessed.'^ 
Then repeating the same motion, saying the 
same words, " You are hlessed.^^ In a few 
minutes he found it was true, "having the wit- 
ness in himself. " 

PRESENT FAITH — SALT RHEUM. 

While preaching some weeks in the town of 
Williamson, Wayne county, in the winter of 
1867, while walking the floor back and forth at 

the house of Brother H , the father of quite 

a number of small children, his wife nursing 

the youngest, Sister H suddenly said, 

" Brother Reddy, do you know what is good 
for the salt rheum?" I said, "We obtained 
some mineral water for one of our children 
once." She said, "When I nurse I have it 
very bad in my breast sometimes, so the blood 



RESTORED TO REASON SUCCESS OVERTURNED. 



83 



runs into the child's mouth." I had noticed 
it inflamed and very red around the centre, and 
without saying anything, I stepped by her side 
where she sat with her child in her lap, and 
grabbed her breast in my hand. The laugh 
came on me. I stooped and took her breast in 
my mouth, rolling my tongue about it a little, 
then walked away laughing. I said nothing, 
but I saw afterwards her breast was changed in 
its appearance, but heard that she told one of 
her neighbors that the Lord had cured her 
breast by my hand, and said, in her usual frank, 
decisive manner, '' What I know, I know;'^ 
said the moment I took her breast in my hand 
she thought, '• Noio the Lord will heal me." I 
saw her once afterwards and she told me she 
was entirely cured from that hour. Praise the 
Lord. 

RESTORED TO REASON. 

I stopped once over night in Cattaraugus Co. , 
seven years ago, with a Brother Gibbs, the fa- 
ther of Governor Gibbs, of Oregon. He had a 
daughter, a married woman, the mother of three 
children ; but she had been deranged a year and 
a half. He had brought his daughter home to 
have the care of her. She would swear some- 
times, and kick her mother out of bed. She 
would tear off her clothes sometimes, and come 
out into the room. 1 saw it aggravated her to 
be looked at and watched. I prayed for her as 
of one possessed of the devil, which distressed 
her mother much, as I found afterwards. I be- 
came so burdened and distressed for that Eliza 
all the forenoon of the next day, that I did not 
know but I was sick. I sung and talked to 
Eliza a little. I was drawn out with such love 
and faith too, for her healing. I asked the 
Lord to turn that crazy woman's heart towards 
me, so I could get hold of her. Very soon she 
came and sat down beside me, and I got her 
hand in mine, for some time silently praying 
for her. I told Brother Gibbs, Jesus could re- 
store her. She tried to engage with me in 
conversation before I left, would laugh, etc., 
when I sung. I met Brother Gibbs when in 
that region once since. He stopped his horse 
and said, "Brother Reddy, my daughter is 
restored and entirely well." Oh, how glad 
and rejoiced I was at that. Glory to God! I 

told Sister R how I was exercised for that 

woman. She said, ''Do not give her up, and 
Jesus will heal her. ' ' 

THE DEVILS CONFOUNDED. 

While holding, with others, a meeting of some 
weeks' continuance, within a few miles of 
Brother Gibbs', in a neighborhood nearly over- 
run by the bewildering influence of Spiritual- 
ism, one watchnight, when I thought it might 
be the last night I should be among them, and 
only a few had been converted and reclaimed, 
I went back into the congregation, closing my 
eyes to all but God, to pray silently for them, 
while many began to talk. Soon the sister 
where I boarded fell hard against the side of 
the school-house while she was talking. I then 
felt and said silently in behalf of the deluded 
ones, "0 my Master, let it seize some of them." 



Presently I opened my eyes ; there lay in the 
lap of another woman a widow woman named 

O , panting for breath, while a man had 

hold of her, striping her hand with his, and oc- 
casionally would bring it over her face and 
sling it off. I jumped upon my feet and shout- 
ed, " Glory to God! He is here, and you will 
have your match, my dear sir, to wipe the Holy 
Ghost off that woman; that is not the spirits — 
that is God Himself" She had been their 
medium about four years — once a Methodist, 
They became alarmed and carried her out of 
the meeting, but when she came to she was 
happy and wanted them to sing. She was thus 
reclaimed and continued to walk in the light of 
the Spirit of the Lord the last I heard. Thus 
the devils were confounded and many of his 
deluded children. The nest broke up. 

SUCCESS OVERTURNED. — DEATH CAME. 

While I was preaching in Lockport, in 1863, 
my son Charles came after me to go home, 
(some thirty miles, ) sent by his uncle, T. W — , 
a brother to my wife, who was very sick with 
inflammation on the lungs. I took the cars, 
and arri \^ed at his house in the evening. He 
had been induced to pray and give his heart to 
God two days before, by a neighbor and my 
wife praying for him, and persuading him. 
When I came he was very glad to see me, for I 
heard that he had some hope of being healed. 
He seemed a little in haste to have me pray, 
saying, "Why don't you pray?" He was 
happy, said he had found the Lord; but he 
had a great difficulty in breathing, his lungs 
seemed to be hard pressed. I sat, after pray- 
ing, by him, laid my hands on his head, took 
off the plaster from his stomach, and he began 
to sweat. My wife had previously taken up a 
spoon to give him something. I said, ' ' What 
is that?" She said, " It is medicine. " I said, 
" Bash it to the devil, where it came from." 
At that word the power of God came on my 
body. I then gained his consent and the con- 
sent of the whole family present, to throw all 
the medicine away, and I supposed I had. His 
breathing became easy ; he got up, sat on the 
side of the bed with his feet on the floor. I 
asked him if he wanted to or felt like walking 
out into the other room; he said, " No." But 
the second time he did this, he did walk out 
and sat in the rocking chair a long time, 
breathing with ease, his wife meanwhile asking 
him if he did not want to lay down on the 
lounge, — if he was not tired, cfec, but he still 
answered "No." I saw an uneasiness about 
her that lacked faith, (a bad omen,) but he was 
so comfortable I lay down and went to sleep. 
But she became tempted, and gave him some 
medicine which they had called molasses when 
I threw the rest of the medicine away. When 
I arose I felt pressed heavy, that something 
was out of God's order. I went away and 
prayed, but began to have fears of something 
adverse to his recovery, that was coming. Soon 
the doctor came and said he was better, but 
should have some castor oil. I said, " Doctor, 
I heard that you said it would be a miracle if 
he got well. " " I did, " he said. "Why then 



84 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



not let him be, and let the Lord have him and 
raise him, if you have no hope?" But some 
of the absent members of the family had come, 
who heeded the doctor's counsel, who said: 
"Now, uncle, you must stop this or go away; 
he shall have some oil.'' Then I said, " ife 
loill die.^' My wife said, " Alonson, let us go 
home." I shook hands with Thomas, the sick 
man, said "good bye, Thomas," and left with 
my wife for home, about two miles, and found 
afterwards probably he was a corpse soon after 
we reached our home. But I have not made 
any allusion to it since to any of the family 
until this record. 

A CASE or SUCCESS. — HEALED. 

While I was attending a camp meeting in 
Cayuga Co., in 1864, on the east side of the 
Cayuga Lake, near the place where I was born, 
I heard that at the house of the father of the 
man where I was now boarding, there were 
five persons sick in the one house, viz., his 
mother, brother, and three sisters; that one of 
the sisters, twenty-two years old, was thought 
to be dying the day before. It was about a 
mile distant. I went the next morning (Sun- 
day) alone, talked with the man of the house 
about religion; found him in trouble, wit's end 
about his family, and but little confidence, if 
any, in the religion of camp-meetings and 
others. I said, the devil has hung a mist, a 
vail over your perceptions, smitten with unbe- 
lief; stepped to him laughing pleasantly, and 
laid my hand on his forehead. He looked up 
and said, (his black eyes sparkling,) "You 
don' t put your hands on the sick, as the Bible 
says?" " Yes I do," said I, " when God tells 
me to." Soon he conducted m,e to the rooms 
to see the sick two daughters in one bed, the 
one back-side recovering, but Rachel K — was 
a very sick girl. I stoed by her bedside on my 
knees, with my hand on her head, and holding 
her hand with the other, it may be an hour, 
while the sweat came out of me profusely, 
with such tender love as I scarcely ever felt 
tor any human being in all my life, wondering 
why it was Jesus made me feel so tender tow- 
ards a stranger, and she not a Christian. But 
soon Jesus showed me the reason, viz. , that I 
must tell her first what He wanted, and then to 
lay my hand on her bowels and stomach. It 
was delicate for both of us. She shrank at first, 
but her sister, older, said, "Rachel, I would 
consent to it; it wont harm you." She finally 
did consent, rather reluctantly. But she was 
healed. I heard that she was out in the kitchen 
the second day after, and the lest all recovered 
immediately. I never saw her since, but when 

ever I think of Rachel K , she seems as 

near and dear to me as a daughter of my own, 
because of the tender love Jesus gave me to 
that precious, suffering girl. I found an expe- 
rience that day which I never fully understood 
before, viz., " He took our sicknesses and shall 
hear our infirmities." I had a test of my 
strength before I reached my boarding place, 
after being there most of the day with that sick 
family. I had to go and lay down awhile and 
sleep before I could go on the camp-ground, 



which was only a few rods distant from the 
house of the kind family who had, although a 
" stranger, took me in," and boarded me with- 
out fee or pay. 

BIBLE SORCERY — COUNTERFEITS. 

I once found a nest of this sorcery spirit and 
mimicry of some of the deep things of the 
Spirit of God, in Allegany county, and after 
suffering some by its deluded votaries, the Lord 
called me, after some weeks had elapsed, to give 
a written notice that I would preach on Sunday 
in the W Meeting-house, on " Bible Sor- 
cery," where no regular meeting had been held 
for a year or more. It was a new subject then 
to me, but I went to the Bible and to God, the 
Author of the Bible, for wisdom and light. I 
took a minute of the Scriptures from the Old 
and from the New Testaments, and commented 
on some twenty-five passages on this subject, 
viz.: of magic, magician, wise-men, sorcerers, 
conjurer, sorceress, enchantress, witches and 
witchcraft. About two hours the congregation 
sat patiently until the close of my remarks. I 
said, "You have in this region the darkest 
counterfeit of Christianity that I have ever 
found. Women go into the woods and stay and 
freeze their feet, saying they are bearing bur- 
dens for others by direction of the Holy Spirit, 
and claim help to support them from some of 
the community on that account; fall down on 
the floor, bruising the head, and body, and 
limbs too, saying they are getting a victory by 
the duty of falling on the Bock. A man goes 
out and throws himself into the water in winter, 
drives his head against a plastered wall and calls 
it the Cross; pound each other and ask to be 
struck again, and hard at that, blacking the 
eyes even— that it feels good. And some modes 
of mimicking the Spirit's work in a more deli- 
cate manner in His leading the sanctified, those 
who are fully saved, thus supplanting some and 
forestalling others by this usurpation and coun- 
terfeit, so as to strike with dread some of the 
most conscientious and inexperienced of the 
real children of God in this direction. The 
most of those who have never experienced the 
' powers of the world to come — been made par- 
takers of the Holy Ghost ' are and would be at 
a loss to distinguish the difference. The coun- 
terfeit is so close in some points, exactly as the 
Spirit of God leads the obedient believer. See 
the exact counterfeit by the devil, inspired ma- 
gicians in Egypt in the three first miracles done 
by Moses, viz. : They changed their rods into 
serpents — changed the waters of the rivers into 
blood with their enchantments; next they 
brought up the frogs. But when they tried to 
mimic and make lice out of dust, they failed 
and said to Pharaoh, ' This is the finger of 
God.' All previous to this was so exactly simi- 
lar that Pharaoh, though wise enough' to be 
made a ruler supreme over Egypt, could not 
distinguish any difference, and hence he was not 
impressed with any right to superiority of their 
claims or pretensions as being from God, and 
hence he hardened his heart and did not con- 
sent to let the people go. Now, in this deep 
work of the Spirit of God, the devil hates every 



SONG CONFESSION- 



SHORT COMINGS. 



85 



thing that God does, and hence his satanic skill 
to educate his servants to counterfeit, in order 
to use up plans of the Spirit to overthrow and 
destroy the works of the devil. On this plan, 
no doubt, rests the healing by the spirits, as 
heard of among the so-called Spiritualists. 
And hence their claims of superiority over 
Christianity. And because most of the church- 
es, as such, have rejected the supernatural — 
anything miraculous now-a-days — have become 
suspicious and consequently afraid of every 
thing of this kind and of everybody who pro- 
fess to believe such things; and more especially 
if they claim to have received any of these 
supernatural gifts of the Holy Ghost sent down 
to men, and some women too. But the devil 
has strained this cord of uubelief in some of 
these points that it is ready to snap. Since this 
* faith which was once delivered to the saints ' 
has been contended for and has also come — is 
dawned on the minds and does possess the 
hearts of some in this day and generation — so 
we rejoice while we sing in truth these lines: 

1. " 'Tis the very'same Jesus, 

'Tis the very same Jesus, 
'Tis the very same Jesus, 
That the Jews they crucified. 
But He rose, He rose, He rose, my Sa\iour rose, 
And went to heaven in a cloud. 

2. " 'Tis the veiy same power, 

'Tis the very same power, 
'Tis the very same power, 
That they had at Pentecost. 
'Tis the power, the power, the power, 'tis the power 
Jesus promised should come down. 

3. " The martyrs had this power. 

The martyrs had this power, 
The martyrs had this power, 
And they triumph'd in the flames. 
By the power, the power, the power, by the power 
Jesus promised should come down. 

4. " The Apostles had this power. 

The Apostles had this power. 
The Apostles had this power. 
And we have got it too. 
'Tis the power, the power, the power, 'tis the power 
Jesus promised should come down." 



CHAPTER XY. 



COXFESSIOX — "short COMINGS. 



Once at a camp-meeting at Alleghany, Cat- 
taraugus county, a couple of sisters — one of them 
a married woman — invited me into into their 
tent for several times; but the husband, some- 
what backslidden, and had become a Sectarian 
withal, watching for an occasion, suddenly 
kneeled down in his tent, and began in the 
appearance of prayer alone, telling the Lord, 
and giving his opinion first in reference to 

Brother F , a preacher present, and then of 

Father Reddy, and what he thought and feared 
would be in live years. I said, ''The Holy 
Spirit has not told you that; it is the devil." 
He arose from his knees, (having doubtless the 
■occasion he had sought), and ordered us both 



out of his tent, saying he would have us both 
arrested for disturbing a religious meeting, (as 
a kind of hypocritical pretext,) "I feel the 
influence of modern Spiritualism in this tent." 
And he bragged in a public meeting soon after, 
that he had turned Father Reddy and Brother 

F out ot his tent, although I had only 

thrown the curtain of the tent the other side of 
me, while I remained sitting on the chest near 
the door, and said, "There, I am outside." 
But his wife was taken sick soon afterwards, 
and lay eight months prostrate on her bed, with 
watchers most of the time. I was traveling the 
next spring off some fifty or sixty miles north of 
their place. The Lord laid such a burden and 

travail on me for Sister W towards morning 

that I could not sleep or rest; I saw my hand 
on her left side and on her limbs, with the love 
and light of faith to heal her, the Spirit refer- 
ring me to Tabatha when Peter put them all 
out and kneeled down and prayed, and she was 
brought to life. The Lord showed me I must 
turn my course and go there. I went and 
found her still alive, but reduced to a skeleton 
nearly. Soon after her husband conducted me 
into her room, where she and two watchers who 
had come to stay with her, and I had kissed her, 
and sat down at the head of her bed, and was tell- 
ing her how I was burdened for her a few nights 
before, and was sent to see her, she seemed 
quite happy and glad to see me ; but she soon 
began to complain with a return of the usual 
pain in her side. She called her husband to 
come and rub her side. He did sometime, but 
still she complained. He finally said he must 
go and have the girl come, if he could not suc- 
ceed. I then dropped out of the chair on my 
knees at the head of the bed, put my hands, 
one on her head, the other on her side, higher 
up than his, and said: "Where is the pain, 

Sister W ?" She said: "A little lower 

down." God's power was on me wonderfully. 
I said: " Lord bless this precious one, this suf- 
ferer." I arose and said: "I will not trouble 
you any more to-night, " and left the room for 
bed up-stairs. But the pain left her side, she said 
to her husband, as I saw in their conversation 
the next morning; but he beat her out of it, so 
she became in distress again. About midnight 
I was awaked, and the light and direction suf- 
ficiently clear to dress me and go down, have 
the watchers leave me alone with her as Peter 
did, read that lesson to her, and tell her all the 
Lord had showed me ; but a little delay, then 
reasoning and indecision, soon I was asleep. 
But the next morning I read it and told her: 
she thought she could not submit to that. ' I 
told her she had submitted to a greater humilia- 
tion than that. Her husband heard of it after 
a little, and began to rail, said : " Why did not 
you tell me; I believe in healing faith, that 
some were healed by his prayers?" talked hard 
and loud that he had rather that woman would 
die and he bury her than to have it go out that 
she was healed in answer to my prayers. I 
was much blessed with calm, said: "Well, I 
feel clear." His wife meanwhile saying: 
• ' Oh, do not talk so, do stop. ' ' I said : 
' ' Brother W , you I o not know what you 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY 



are saying." They moved her into a crib. 
Soon she said: ''There, Father Reddy, is my 
arm. ' ' I went and took hold of the bare arm ; 
she had unbuttoned the sleeve. I talked about 
her being poor, handled her arms a little, but 
never thought until afterwards that there the 
Lord had provided a remedy, if I had seen it 
and continued it in faith, and said to all present 
now go out and let me obey God, I do Jbelieve 
the Lord would have sent them out, notwith- 
standing all that had passed, and Sister W 

would certainly have been healed and she had 
been living to day; but the delay in the night, 
and his hard words and clamor saying, "I 
never want you to come into my house again, ' ' 
had led me to infer I had done what I could. 
I have seen and learned some lessons since : that 
God sent me to heal her, and I should have 
looked for the opening of the Lord, and unheed- 
ing his growl in unbelief and Sectarian pride. 
But still he was wrong in saying, " His blood 
be on us and on our children." But I am 
called now and in this manner to record this 
under the head of '' jShort Comings." 

BEREAVED IN CHRIST. — "SHORT COMINGS." 

The Lord told me to take the brother into 
my bed room, (who had given me the horse I 
have referred to,) and tell him, " Joseph, Jesus 
is grieved with you for employing that doctor 
for your wife, after you have had the faith 
given you and you have been healed once your- 
self, and others have been healed in your 
house." God said, " I know Abraham that he 
will command his children and his household 
after him." " The Lord told me to talk to you. 
If your little girl was taken sick, you would 
also let your wife dictate you and send for the 
doctor?" He said, "Yes." -'Then if you 
should be very sick, and she should still want 
a doctor?" '-No," said he, "J would not 
have a doctor.'" But before the next summer 
was out, he had been up and down, (although 
a very healthy man,) under the doctor's care, 

by his wife's dictation. While Brother T 

and I were going to a camp-meeting, we came 
there and heard that Joseph was very sick ; his 
wife came to the parlor door and said: "If I 
had seen you before you got in, I had intended 
to fasten the door. ' ' I said, * ' You see that was 
not from the Lord, or you would have seen us." 

She had pushed brother T away, who had 

started to go in to see Joseph. I stood laugh- 
ing, wonderfully blest for some reason, telling 
her the Lord converted a young woman while 
in family prayer this morning, where we stayed. 
I had married them, and he had given me the 
horse. I was deeply interested for him, and I 
have since seen why I was so blessed, viz. , It 
was to walk in to the sick man in spite of his 
wife' s prejudice and unbelief, in spite of men 
or devils, or both together, lay my hands on 
him, and get him away from the devil and the 
infidel doctor. But we slept in the barn and 
did not see him at all, although he earnestly 
requested that she would let us in to his room. 
But she said, " You are too sick,'' (we had this 
from the watcher). In the fall, on our return 
from the east — a camp-meeting at Cazenovia — 



my son said: '' Father, did you hear that Joseph 

C is dead ?' ' I went to the horse-barn and 

mourned on my knees two hours or more for 
Joseph, bereaved of a brother. I had not 
thought that Joseph could die. One of the 
best men I ever knew, until he employed that 
doctor, and gTieved Jesus by it, as the Lord 
showed me that was the cause of his death, and 
brought me then and there to promise I would 
never take medicine but under His special di- 
rection. But Joseph died in peace, but his 
wife was stunned, half distracted. 

DELICATE CASE. — " SHORT COMINGS." 

A Sister M , in Lockport, who died in 

child-birth. About six or seven weeks before 
she died, I stayed at their house, and I was in 
travail and burdened all night at intervals for 
her, but did not say any thing to her about it, 
how I felt — it was delicate. In about a week 
I stayed there again, but slept but very little. 
She had spoken of lameness, and some how I 
received the truthful impression that her tiipe 
had expired before I was burdened the first 
time. But this night the Lord had me in His 
school all night, learning some new lessons. I 
saw my hand on her to cure her lameness, and 
before morning, in half sleep and deep love, 
which would have done any service, and the 
light of faith in her miia^culoxis delivery, in an- 
swer to prayer. And the liOrd showed me I 
must not leave there this time until I told her 
how I felt. Her husband did not go to his work 
that morning; I did not know why, for I wanted 
to tell her alone. While in family prayer, I 
turned and laid my hands on her head, and 
was slain; she was much blessed. But before 
noon, I found why he had not gone; he was 
afraid his wife would be a Nazarite, and throw 
away her hoops. He said, rather good na- 
turedly, " I wish you would wipe off your feet 
against me, and not come here." I said, "I 
shall not wipe my feet against any body, un- 
less the Lord tells me to. " But after dinner 
he went to his work, leaving none but the 
hired girl, E. W— - — , his wife and myself. I 
soon found an opportunity to tell her about 
seeing my hand on her lameness, her limbs. 
She thought of it awhile, and gave me to under- 
stand in the room that her child was alive. I 
prayed for her; we were blessed wonderfully 
with the power and presence of God; but I did 
not tell her all, the whole, viz., that the Lord 
had taken me in the night through the whole 
process as her doctor, that I had been shown 
her child in my hands, all alive and well ; that 
He would answer prayer and give it me then 
and there. After two or three months, on my 
return from Cayuga Co., I learned that Sister 

M gave birth to her child in five weeks 

after, and died with it after twenty-four hours. 
I felt bad, but never knew the secret of failure 
until in the woods in the town of Wales, Erie 
Co., alone and pressed heavy, I was brought 
under a great cross to pledge to the Lord that 
I would never leave the woods till I was free 
and knew what was the matter, when soon the 

Lord showed me that if I had told Sister M 

the whole, she and her child both would have 



LOST THE GIFT DEAD NOT RAISED SHORT OF THE MARK. 



87 



lived. And now I have to record this for nearly 
the first time on the record of " short comings." 

LOST THK GIFT. 

Two of the Nazarite sisters in Lockport went 
to see a Methodist brother who had been con- 
fined to his bed about a year. While they were 
on their knees praying for him, one of them said 
she felt the power in her arms and hands, so 
she could scarcely withhold them from the sick 
man's head, and the words given to tell him to 
'"tref Mj?." Then she thought what if ho should 
not get up, what a digrace it would be on the 
Nazarites, and on the cause of religion an 
increase of prejudice and opposition would be 
the result. Her reason was gained and 
entangled, she told me when they came home; 
she said she did not feel right about it. She 
then and there forfeited and lost the gift of heal- 
ing most likely, which it may be she never 
knew she possessed until it was called for. She 
said afterwards she believed the man would been 
well if she had obeyed the Lord. 

Another. — A preacher' s wife related just such 
an experience while she and her husband were 
once praying for a sick woman. But I suppose 
she never came to or was brought to that point 
again, without repentance of course she never 
would be, God's Spirit does not trifle in that 
way, nor does He bring any soldier up in battle 
array to be thus foiled by the devil, and a 
greater victory gained over the Holy Ghost by 
this irresolution and cowardice or care for the 
consequences to ourselves or to the cause of 
God: " To obey is better than sacrifice, and to 
barken than the fat of rams." God will be 
responsible for consequences. 

THE DEAD NOT RAISKD — -'SHORT COMINGS." 

-, residing in 
homeward I 



A minister by the name of S 

the town of B , on my way 

heard was very sick, was not expected to live. 
I felt a deep interest at once for his recovery; 
but was deeply conscious at the same time of 
the amount of unbelief about him and of all his 
surroundings in reference to healing faith, and 
of course against any and all of the Nazarite 
spirit, whether in his own particular church or 
out of it. I saw many difficulties in the way 
of reaching him so as to help him. But when 

I reached the village of A , the Lord would 

not let me feel clear without turning about and 
going to his house to inquire his health and 
state. His wife came to the door, said he was 
very sick, but did not invite me in, and I did 
not ask or tell her how I felt about him. The 
next day I heard he was getting better, although 
the doctor did not know certainly what ailed 
him. A Brother T had been into the door- 
yard, but was not allowed to go in to see him, 
who was also burdened for him. One sister 
told me afterwards that sBe was so distressed she 
could not leave the village, she got another sister 
to go with her, but the hired girl came out and 
stopped them in the , door-yard, said they must 
not go in ; that she liked to have fallen in the 
door-yard. Two or three days after my first 
call, I returned from a distant neighborhood 
and stopped to stay over night with a preacher 



of the place, and while at the supper table, 
two preachers present, one of them spoke and 
said, ''Father , have you heard that bro- 
ther S was dead ? " 1 said, " No. " "He 

died last night." I said, with deep emotion, 
"I wish I could have seen him." The power 
of God came on me to roar, but I restrained 
or quenched the Spirit out of a little delicacy 
at the table, because my mouth was full of food, 
but turned my chair around and made but a 
restrained, suffocated noise. I have seen since 
that the Lord wanted then and there to show 
and give me direction. Then again about mid- 
night I was waked up deeply burdened and in 
such love too that would have broken asunder 
death'' s iron bars, and was directed to go and 
take the preacher of the house with me to. the 

house of brother S . These words were 

given me to say, as I entered his room: '■'■ I am 
the Resurrection and the Life^ if a man believe 
in Me, though he icere dead, yet shall he livef 
lay my hands on him, embrace the dead man, 
kiss him,, and say, " 0, death, Til be thy 
plague; 0, grave, Fll be thy destruction.''^ I 
had the assurance of faith from the Spirit that 
he would be given me from the dead. But the 
reasoning on the difficulties in the way of my 
being allowed to do as the Lord would lead me. 
Soon the doubt held me fast, and closed me in 
from the light of that faith once delivered to 
the saints. The Lord calls me here to make 
this confession for the first time, except to a 
few, and make this record publicly, that that 
minister was designed of God to have been 
brought back from death, for "the glory of 
God," and confounding the unbelief which has 
prevailed to such an extent among many of the 
Lord's people since. I have never been di- 
rected so since ; I have some queries if still I 
have that particular gift. 

SHORT OF THE MARK. 

While I was preaching in Lockport during 
the second spring of the war, I was deeply dis- 
tressed about so many going to be killed, and 
in view of the accompanying evils of war. One 
brother and one sister also of the Nazarite So- 
ciety had the burden on them too. About the 
time the law made it an offense to discourage 
enlistment, one Sunday the Lord held me to 
pray publicly against the continuance of the 
human slaughter. I became deeply burdened 
and yet felt a little restraint and caution not to 
utter in that public manner anything that 
would expose me to the law. But while I saw 
in prayer the greatness — how extensive the evil 
and the greatness of that power which alone 
could interrupt its progress — these words Avere 
given and repeated, ' * J will rebuke the devourer 
for Thy sake,^^ (viz., Christ.) I fell by the 
awful power of God upon me, and while laying 
there, He asked me if I would give my life to stop 
it, giving me the words of the High Priest of 
the Jews, viz. : " It is expedient for us that one 
man should die for the people and that the 
whole nation perish not." I had the faith given 
me that it could be intermpted and rebuked on 
those conditions. I saw some twenty or twenty- 
five about the President, which could move the 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



whole machinery of the nation ; all the vastness 
of view at first had dwindled down to a few, 
and less than this number. I saw I would have, 
to go there (I did not see how) in person ; be 
misunderstood at first, and ridiculed. I saw 
myself there in vision and before the President. 
But my consent was not fully given. Then the 
reasoning began to dim my faith and my cau- 
tion, still in the way. However, 1 arose in the 
meeting, talked, and said, " I do believe the 
war will be stopped," but did not commit my- 
self hy pledge to offer my life for the nation. 
Here was the flaw, and I have been twitted of 
prophesying wrong because the war continued. 
But I never confessed this before now, I be- 
lieve, to anybody. The brother who was bur- 
dened also prayed that day and said, after I fell, 
he also repeated the same words. ' ' Bebuke the 
devourer,^^ and the power of God seized his 
arms and hands ae if he were frozen instantly. 
The sister said one day she was so burdened by 
the Spirit that she would have been willing that 
a thousand bullets might be shot through her, if 
that would stop the war. I do firmly believe 
now, and have most always since, that the war 
was designed of God to be interrupted that 
spring by His selecting me as the voluntary 
victim, (a prophet of the nation.) Great as the 
idea may seem to others, and not much less so 
to me too, at the time, which was one thing 
that caused the hesitation, I have never felt ex- 
actly clear when I have thought of President 
Lincoln's death, that if I had committed my- 
self on that Sunday morning, as God showed 
me, I probably would have been arrested soon 
for some alleged fault, and God would have had 
me before the President. He has always seemed 
near to me since that time, and I do not believe 
he would have been shot in a theatre if I had 
not shrank that day. God has brought this to 
my mind to make this confession for Him in 
this manner. I did not think it would be be- 
lieved by scarcely anybody, and then, too, it is 
a great humiliation and cross thus to speak it 
out. While at one of the Cazenovia camp- 
meetings, in prayer, I was slain, and while lay- 
ing there I heard a hypocritical woman, having 
a strange exercise, mockingly say to the Pre- 
siding Elder, Brother R , '' One must die 

for the people," in a sort of ridicule, repeating 
the words once or twice. The Lord showed me 
that it was a mocking devil in her who alone 
knew what it meant and got her to say it, that 
I knew and the Lord knew, and perhaps the 
same devil alone (not even the woman) who 
got me to shrink two or three years before at 
Lockport. N. B. — I was arrested at Lockport 
that spring, charged with enticing a soldier to 
desert the service of the Government (growing 
out of a dream in reference to his family, ) and 
was indicted by the United States Grand Jury 
at Rochester. But God set two young women 
of the Nazarite Society at Lockport to fast and 
pray for my release, and the Lord did set me at 
liberty — glory to His name. My feelings were 
so deep during the remaining time the war 
lasted that I could scarcely look at a soldier 
thoughtfully without being ready to weep, 
thinking of the spot where the Southern bullet 



would strike hiiri and let out the blood and take 
his life. I could not read an article about the 
war, but never knew fully why I had such af- 
flicted and tender emotions about it until since 
the Lord has called me to make this humiliat- 
ing confession and record in this work, and in 
the manner above, among the confessions on 
" short comings; " this one chapter devoted to 
it in particular. 

FEAR TO ROAR. — SUPERNATURAL GIFT. 

It has always been a cross for me to roar. 
The temptation makes it seem so awful — that 
it will disturb others — that it will frighten the 
feeble of the flock; and yet I know God always 
sends victory to others, even the feeble in meet- 
ings, when I do. Some have said they felt the 
ground jar at one time at a camp-meeting. 
But when I do roar without restraint, then I 
have a. perfect faith. But I embarrassed myself 
by promise when I was in prison the first time 
at Albion. The sheriff said he sometimes had ^ 
had to punish prisoners. I replied, "I will not 
do any thing to trespass on your regulations. " 
Yet the Lord had and did wake me up every 
night but one, viz., four out of five, about one 
o'clock, to pray, and would make me roar, but 
there was a restraint, so I had not a perfect 
victory. And this embarrassment was still 
upon me when I was in prison at Buffalo, where 
the prisoners are not allowed to talk or make 
any noise. One Sunday, in the meeting, while 
the young Episcopalian minister was warning 
the sinner, faithfully and truthfully, about hell 
as a consequence of living in sin and dying 
without the knowledge of Jesus as their Sa- 
viour, I sat with my eyes closed. Soon I saw 
the burning lake come up in sight; I felt an in- 
timation of roaring, and yet a little fear or 
wish not to roar. The Spirit was powerfully 
on me, but soon I was sorry I had quenched the 
Spirit. Some left soon afterwards for whom I 
had felt a deep interest, and I never was led up 
to that point again in the meeting. But the 
last night before my three months expired, I 
was waked as usual to get up and pray. After 
a long time on my knees, I arose to get into 
bed, but the Lord would not let me do it with 
a clear conscience till I had roared; that I must 
make a noise before I left. It seemed like death 
— the watch below always up; '' Big Tom," as 
they called him, was cruel. It was the tightest 
place nearly I was ever in ; the devil threaten- 
ing with fear, heading my thoughts, while the 
Spirit was leading me up to a crucifixion and 
death. It was a long time ere I could get cour- 
age and strength, in view of consequences. But 
at last I said, ' ' My God, I will obey Thee, if I 
die.^^ The awful roar came, and I fell on the 
stone floor of the cell, crving, ' ' Oh, that burning 
lake! Must they be lost — must they be lost! " 
Tom was soon in my cell ; he emptied the cup 
'of water into my bosom ; his sympathies were 
touched, and he struck under conviction. My 
flesh was filled with God, prickling in every 
part; I was so blest. He said, after some 
time, when I arose, kindly, " Now get in 
bed." 



SOLD JESUS SMITTEN FROM NEGLECT UZZAH SMITTEN. 



89 



SOLD JESUS. — THE POTTER S FIELD. 

The first spring of the war, a young man, an 
exhorter, thought he had the cross on him to 
go and enlist. He prayed about it a few times, 
and thought the last time that he got the an- 
swer from the Lord; but found soon it was from 
the devil, to get him from preaching. He af- 
terwards married, went to England about a 
year or less in successiul labor, then returned ; 
but having lost holiness in his return. After a 
little he came to a friend's house in Erie Co., 
where I had stopped. The old lady of the 
house came into the parlor where I was and 

said, "R has enlisted, and he gets most 

seven hundred dollars. ' ' Instantly these words 
were given me by the spirit : ' ' iZe has sold 
Jesus.'' I had to go right to him, shook hands 

and said, '• Well, R , the devil has got you 

into his trap after all; you have sold Jesus; the 
Lord let the light on you to see what you have 
done." The potter's field was about me. some 
time being repeated. I asked the brother of 
the house what he supposed it meant, '*the 
potters field," while I was so burdened for the 
young man; he said he talked some of buying 
the place near by which was once owned by a 
man by the name of Potter. The newly en- 
listed soldier went to Elmira, was soon taken 
sick, came very near losing his life and his soul 
too ; said he felt the misery of a lost soul, but 
found mercy and recovered with the permanent 
loss of sight of both eyes. I suppose he 
preaches some, but is now receiving a pension 
from the Government, I have understood, of 
about twenty-five dollars per month. Now I 
have to record short comings on this also. 
Three years ago, the Lord told me to write him 

a letter and say, '' R , the Lord shows me 

that when you are fully restored to the clear 
light of that holiness which you once enjoyed, 
Jesus will not allow you to take that pension.'' 

SMITTEX FROM NEGLECT. 

In the winter of 1865, I stopped over night 
with a Brother W , near Rushford, Alle- 
gany county, N. Y. In the morning the Tes- 
tament was handed to me, and after reading, 
while standing up singing a few verses, the 
power of God laid me down on my back on the 
carpet. Soon after I arose and took my seat. 

I was sent by the Holy Spirit to Sister W '-, 

who was sitting in a chair, but not well. I 
dropped on my knees, took hold of her hands, 
and was set crying as I tried to utter some 
words for some little time. At last they came 
out — ^^ Jesus, hless her; bless this precious 
one " — weeping on till relief came; then went 
to my seat. I found afterwards she was deeply 
afiQicted with piles and was expecting to die ; 
that the doctors could not help her. I talked 
with her, but did not tell her that Jesus had 
shown me how He could help and cure her. A 
few nights afterwards, I was awaked and found 
the burden and power of God on me, trembling 
under the cross to go into her room and lay my 
hands on her in Jesus' name. I dressed myself, 
struck a light and went into her room. I told 
her how the Lord made me feel about her, and 



what faith He had given me for her cure, shak- 
ing wonderfully, asking her to consent to be 
healed. But I went again to my bed; then 
once more after daylight I tried to persuade her 
and her husband; told him finally the third 
time that he must talk to her, that I could not 
endure to stay in this house, I was so burdened. 
But I was released, but smitten with the same 
affliction on me ever since, at times, though 
never troubled with it before. She died with 
it the next summer, after suffering much, as she 
confessed to a Christian friend that I told her 
she would be a worse suflferer by rejecting God's 
plan to relieve her, and that she was sorry ; that 
she had no doubt ibut that she would have been 
healed. And then, too, how much better than 
to have ungodly doctors (as she expressed it) 
handle her and get no help, but get worse and 
die. as she expected to; that her husband was 
sorry after I was gone. It may be from the ex- 
traordinary exercise on me that all three of us 
were smitten from neglect, viz., she died. He 
died in about a year, and I am afflicted yet with 
the consequences — with her disease. , 

UZZAH SMITTEX. 

A maiden woman by the name of Lucy B- 



in Niagara county, was an invalid by inflamma- 
tory rheumatism. For twelve years she had 
not walked, I think, at all. But a Brother 

T heard of and visited her, preached to 

her about Jesus having the same power over 
diseases and also over devils (the agent and 
author of all diseases) nov: as He ever had; 
and while he was praying, or soon after he left, 
she felt and heard her joints crack, and she 
was straightened somewhat in the bed. Soon 

after this, a Brother S came and prayed for 

her cure, and he told her to rise and icalk, ^but 
she thought she could not do that. But soon 
after he left, she arose and walked across the 
room. But her well and healthy sister, who 
had taken care of her, saw Lucy walking, and 
sprang forward in alarm, or surprise, throwing 
her arms around the restored cripple, saying, 
"Lucy's walking — Lucy's walking!" But 
in four days the robust and hitherto healthy 
sister was a corpse, for touching God's work in 
unbelief, steadying the ark of God (like Uzzah 
who died by the ark), while Lucy was left well 
to go about and tell what great things the Lord 
had done for her. 

LIFE FORFEITED. 

A young man in Broome county, by the name 
of George, an exhorter, was called of God and 
shown by the Spirit that he must go and lay his 
hands on the dead — the daughter of a traveling 
preacher who had died in a foreign land, a mis- 
sionary, and was preserved in spirits and 
brought home to her father. George went and 
told the preacher what the Lord had told him. 
It alarmed the preacher who said he would not 
have it done for anything in the world, and at 
first made a great ado. But at the funeral he 
looked for George — he ex{3ected he would be 
there and do something; but George was 
grieved and disheartened, and had left the 
neighborhood and did not obey the Lord. And 

(12) 



90 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



he died himself in about six months, and the 
preacher deeply regretted it, after the funeral, 
that he had not encouraged George, and it was 
harder to be reconciled to the last disappoint- 
ment than the death of his daughter. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



MISCELLANEOUS. — A CHILD'S VISION OF 
HEAVEN. 



The particulars of the following vision were 

taken down from the lips of Nancy M , the 

aunt of the boy with whom he was then sleep- 
ing, in the spring of 1863, in Syracuse, and 
from the grandfather of the boy, who drew out 
by questions many of the items of this vision, 
and especially the proofs in the descriptions 
given of persons who had died many years 
before the child was born, and of whom he had 
never heard a word. Its truthfulness so deeply 

impressed the grandfather, J, M , that he 

expected the boy would die at the expiration 
of the two years which was consented to for 
him to stay with his little brother on his re- 
quest, as related in the vision. 

William M , eight years old, whose mother 

had been dead about eight months, and his 
grandmother, who had been dead about five 
years, came in the night, (as he told his aunt 
in the morning and afterwards, ) and took him 
out of the bed, and carried him to heaven. 
That the devil made a grab at him just as he 
was going in, but he was not afraid, that he 
was very tall, had black, ugly eyes. That 
when they entered about fifty persons came 
around them, the grandmother introducing him 
to them. Some preachers and some relatives; 
his aunt Lydia, who died many years before he 
was born, at two and a-half years old, the most 
beautiful of all the children there. Two 
preachers, one named Crandall, who died six- 
teen years before in Illinois; one named Burrit, 
had sandy hair ; had been dead nine years. She 
showed him Father Pufier and Kelsey; that she 
went away, was gone a long time; came back 
with a large cluster of grapes, the largest and 
sweetest he ever tasted, so very rich he said, 
^'I can taste them yet." Soon his mother 
came with a large peach; then came a Brother 
Porter, a preacher, with a large pear. He saw 
the tree that bore " twelve manner of fruit;" 
counted six or seven kinds. This Brother Por- 
ter was, as he said to Willie, a particular friend 
of his grandfather; was there one Saturday 
night and promised, with his wife, to visit him 
on Monday night, but said, "I died and did 
not go." "Was you sorry?" said Willie; he 
said "No." Which was so; he was taken sick 
in meeting on Sunday, and died on Monday. 
Said that all the beautiful infants were close 
around the throne together with their harps. 
That he went and took a seat by the side of the 
Angel Gabriel, who had a large golden trumpet. 
He asked if he might blow it ; the angel said, 
" Yes," but he was not strong enough. Then 



Gabriel blowed a very loud but a pleasant 
noise. 

Then God took up the Bible and read the 
thirteenth chapter of St. John, many also had 
Bibles. The singing he tried to imitate the 
sounds, but stopped because it was so unlike it. 
Their faces shone so bright and glistened, he 
never saw any like them in this world. His 
grandmother' s crown shook when she walked, 
and the stars in it glistened like diamonds. He 
said God on the throne shone so bright that he 
could not go very near Him; that when He 
turned around the light distressed him, and 
seemed to go right through him, and the light 
from His crown lighted up heaven, which was 
so large that the oldest ones there had not been 
all o»^er it. That God had a large book, as 
large as the room he was in, containing the 
names and daily account of all upon the earth ; 

that he looked for his own name, W , and 

saw that all his sins were blotted out but two, 
that he would have to be forgiven of them. 
Saw the accounts of his father and uncles ; said 
they could not go there unless they repented. 
Saw Christ on the cross and the two thieves; 
over one of them was written, " This day shalt 
thou be with me in Paradise," — the Father, 
Son and Spirit, that these three are one. Saw 
John the Revelator, some of the old Prophets 
and Apostles, Fletcher and Wesley, and also 
some of his associates ; one that he played with 
at Cazenovia, the fall before, had been dead 
two or three weeks, eighteen miles off, but had 
not heard of it or known it till he saw him 
there. Saw thOm constantly coming into hea- 
ven, their robes all ready for them, and crowns 
to put on as soon as they came in who had died 
on the earth — about a thousand while he was 
there — which seemed a year, he saw so much. 
He asked God when he might come there and 
stay. He said in a year. Then he thought of 
his little brother, and asked if he could not 
stay with him longer. Was told, " You can 
stay two years if you are good." Saw an 
angel take up a child and go with it down into 
the River of Life, clear to the bottom — very 
deep and very clear, and no water on them 
when they came up ; it seemed playfully done. 
Saw the place where the wicked were burning; 
it seemed to be this world on fire ; heard their 
groans, and they burning in it. Then Gabriel 
sounded his trumpet for the Resurrection, and 
the graves opened ; saw the bones of the dead 
before they came to life and began to rise, and 
then the wicked crying for mercy, but it was 
too late; seemed to know at once who were 
saved and who were wicked still. 

After viewing this scene, he seemed to know 
without being told that he was going to be car- 
ried back to this world, when suddenly his 
mother and grandmother came, took him up, 
and brought him back to the same bed. His 
grandmother said, "Here's Nancy," as they 
left him. He immediately spoke and said, '• 
Aunt Nancy, I've been in heaven all night," 
his eyes looking red and full of tears, as if he 
had been weeping a long time. She then asked 
him what he had seen. He began to tell her, 
then paused with apparent reluctance. He. 



MYSTERIOUS LEADINGS A VISION. 



91 



then said that his grandmother told him to tell 
his uncle David and his father, who were un- 
converted, but she continued by questions until 
she drew out most of the above. Then when 
his grandfather came to see Willie, he asked 
him more particularly, and found the proof in 
some of the following descriptions, as well as 
those mentioned. He saw his two great-grand- 
fathers and told their names; being asked to 
describe them, he said one was a small man, 
that his skin was as yellow as that bellows, and 
he died of jaundice. The other had the reddest 
nose he ever saw — as red as fire — which was 
true, from a disease in the nose. They had 
been dead fifty or sixty years. It seems from 
this that heaven has varieties, and not all same- 
ness, but pleasures and scenes adapted to the 
variety of age and taste of all the family of God 
above especially. And we see it something so 
here, in the distribution of the gifts of the Spirit 
and also in the variety of His leadings and 
demonstrations with the saved — the saints here. 
Everything to show the wisdom, love and good- 
ness of God to make us happy, complete and 
thus glorify Himself in us who believe and 
obey Him. 

MYSTERIOUS LEADINGS — A VISION. 

In 1861, while at the Bergen camp-meeting, 
in Genesee county, a few of us had an early 
prayer-meeting each morning at five o'clock, 
where some good was witnessed. In one of 
them I had a mysterious exercise and experi- 
ence with my shawl pinned around me in the 
cool air. While in prayer I was slain by the 
power of God, and was soon set in motion like a 
saw-log, rolling among the trees and bushes, over 
the leaves, (as it was outside the circle of tents. ) 
I was perfectly conscious of the motion. I had 
no fear, but thought of the trees that they might 
be in my way. Suddenly I was stopped by the 
same invisible power which made and started 
my body in motion. It seemed the distance of 
a rod or more. After a little pause I was rolled 
back again. It seemed (for my eyes were 
closed) the same distance, when presently I be- 
gan to be stretched, limbs and. body, as if upon 
the rack, yet in no pain, and perfectly happy 
and conscious and safe, viz. : that it was the 
Lord. But I did not know but He would tear 
my limbs from the body, it was drawing so 
tight. I began to wonder and inquire in my 
mind, " What does this mean/"' when sud- 
denly stood Samuel, the ancient prophet of the 
Lord, before my somewhat astonished mind, 
with king Agag (whom Saul should have slain; 
sree 1st Samuel, xv, 33,) with a butcher's long- 
edged axe in Samuel' s hands, and he hewingAgag 
to pieces. Then the inquiry was again, " What 
does that mean?" Immediately three of the 
prominent ministers of the meeting and of the 
pilgrim army stood, then passed before my vis- 
ion, viz. : Brother A , the oldest, first; next. 

S , and R , the last and the least one of 

the three kings or rulers in Zion, (that wanted 
to govern in Zion. ) I was told then that I must 
heio these kings to pieces — must go into the 
stand that morning and relate this vision in 
their presence. It was so wonderful, and the 



work of such a rough nature for me, (did not 
see how,) that it took all there was of me to 
consent. I arose, looked at it sternly, but said 
or intimated nothing to any one. I came into 

the tent. Sister H d met me, said, "You 

are willing to become a barley loaf, are you not. 
Brother Reddy? " It did not occur to me the 
import of the figure, viz. : that (figuratively) 
which sent such dismay, terror, and overthrow 
of the Midianites; the dream representing Gid- 
eon and his little army of "water lappers" 
with their broken pitchers and lights. The 
time came; the bell rang for preaching. I 
started at once for the stand, got there, and so 
few had come. A sly suggestion was presented, 
viz. : " You will want them there when you tell 
it." Then a thought to step away a little into 
the woods and pray, so as to keep ready for 
such a great cross. When I returned a vast 

congregation had assembled, and Brother P y 

was talking in the stand. The suggestion was 
made, " There, it is too late; you will have to 
wait till he is done — he is so stern, he will not 
let you speak till he is done." When he had 
done, I arose in the stand to speak, but such a 
state of confusion I never saw — several speak- 
ing at once, and nobody knew what ailed the 
meeting, nor myself either. I thought may be 
it is for some other time, since the way is shut 
up. I have seen since that my going away to 
pray was a ruse — a trick of satanic generalship, 
and thus the whole army — the meeting — was 
betrayed into the hands of the enemy, and I 
did not know it, and, too, on a matter and sub- 
ject of such magnitude and importance that it 
must be hunted out and remedied, or the devil 
would triumph over the whole, and I came near 
forfeiting my further stay on earth by it. After 
the meeting closed, (for it had to be dismissed, 
nobody could work but those deceived and 
hypocrites when God did not lead the meeting, ) 

a Brother W invited me to dinner. While 

in his tent after dinner, I stood conversing with 
a sister on holiness, encouraging her to believe 
now, when suddenly the power of God came 
upon me, and I went over backwards, some- 
thing striking me between my shoulders, and 
knocking the breath out of me, throwing me 
over on my face; but instantly, yea, miracu- 
lously, my body was turned on to my back. I 
soon found in my heart or mind a complaining 
thought, and soon almost, if not quite, a wish 
to die, and be out of this world of trouble and 
pain. I do not know but I made some noise 
in my efibrts to recover my breathing and live, 
unconscious of every thing about me, except 
those thoughts. I suppose I must have lain 
there some time. The first I was conscious of, 
my attention began (a thought or two at inter- 
vals, ) to lean towards what the Lord had called 
me to do, but saw its light was gone. I found 
repentance in me — was sorry, but it looked im- 
possible now to remedy or ever get it right. I 
thought if I could only be placed back a few 
hours. Now I perceived by the singing that 
they were commenced in the afternoon meeting 
— that all had left the tent where I lay alone, 
but my feelings had undergone a great change, 
from despondency to a ray of hope. Now 1 



92 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



was required to go into the stand without the 
light I had had of the words. But I asked for 
the words — hut no/ then if I could have as- 
surance of success, that they would let me 
speak when I got to the stand; but no, I must 
go now without any, in view of being entirely 
deprived, and without complaining of the 
treatment or care for the disgrace. When these 
unconditional terms were consented to I was 
upon my feet at once, and on my way to the 
stand. As I came up into the stand, Brother 
Gorham had just read his text. I said: 
♦'Brother Gorham, I have a word of testi- 
mony." He scrabbled up his papers quick, 
and went into the back part of the stand. 
With deep humility and emotion too, I asked 
the saints of God to pray for me; that I had 
crosses to bear for the Lord which few or none 
others had, and felt the need of help. I then 
related the whole which I have now said, 
except the particular of the Kings in Zion, and 
the work which I was called to do, I recollect, 
came out last. I began to feel the awful power 
of God nerving me up to a very high point, far 
above men and devils too, for instantly, as I 
stepped towards the north end of the stand, I 
looked away out on Eternity, seemingly with- 
out bounds to my vision, my left foot raised 
clear from the floor, with the leg nerved won- 
derfully. The last I was conscious of till I 

heard the voice of Brother G m resuming 

his sermon with a little irregularity of step as 
he walked the stand. Soon I felt my feet and 
legs drawn two hitches aside by his foot ; then 
I lay crooked, but did not feel discommoded. 
Suddenly I was rolled swift, packed up snug 
against the front side of the stand, under the 
breastwork or shelf. I had a thought — may be 
the Lord will roll me up over the front down 
into the congregation. But soon I was shown 
two things or designs, which the Lord had in 
that violent motion and my present position, 
viz. , 1st, a rebuke of that unbelief which was 
the cause of my feet being moved out of the 
way of the preacher of the Gospel, he not re- 
cognizing the Lord as the Author and Agent in 
the Miracle or Sign; 2d, He showed me that 
my position was to be in front of all the min- 
isters, and was called to it now, from the deep 
miraculous experience He had given me, — a 
prominence and position I had always avoided. 
One woman said to my wife, who was not 
there: "He went down very quick;" I pre- 
sume it was almost invisible even to those 
looking on. The next morning, in the love- 
feast, 1 stood in the stand, said a few words, 
was turned suddenly, threw my arms around 

Brother S -, (one of these kings, ) and kissed 

him, saying, ' ' I never loved you so in my life ; 
I have got you, and the devil shall not have 
you." He replied, "Brother Reddy, I begin 
to love you. ' ' Thus I was beginning to " hew ' ' 
these kings by this love of the Spirit and the 
childlike simplicity of His guiding s. That 
preacher is now deceased. A sister had the 
cross on her to speak in that love-feast, but did 
not know a word she had to say. She thought 
as she stood in the crowd, " Now, if that man 
will only step down off that bench, I will get 



up there and speak." Instantly he stepped 
down, and she took the place, began to speak, 
the tone of her voice so changed that some of 
her sisters hardly knew her voice, and a strange 
unusual power seized her body, which she had 
never felt before, (probably the martyr spirit 
or power,) as she said, "The Lord holds me 
to stand by Brother Reddy;" meanwhile the 
Lord had sent me out of the stand, so I was 
not present to hear it at the time. I have 
never made reference to this vision since pub- 
licly, and seldom privately, from delicacy, &c. 

NOTORIOUS, NOT FROM 'CHOICE. 

" PersecTition dragged them into fame and forced 
them up to heaven. " 

While I was attending one of the Brockport 
tent-meetings, I saw a man from Vermont who 
had heard of the "wonderful works of God" 
among the pilgrims in Western New York. 
While he stood in front of the stand talking 
under deep conviction for the blessing of holi- 
ness, saying, " I want it — I must have it," my 
inmost soul was at once in travail, drawn out 
in prayer for him, that he might obtain it noio 
while he was talking, even before he sat down. 
I stepped a little nearer to him, within a few 
feet, my very bowels yearning for his deliver- 
ance; that it was close by, while the man be- 
gan to stagger under the power of God, and 
raising his voice. The Lord told me to go 
quickly to him, lay my hands on his head, and 
say, '■^Baptize him with the Holy Ghost." The 
way was crowded with chairs. I started quick- 
ly to go around, but saw some difficulty in that 
direction. I stopped to consider, when imme- 
diately the lord of the meeting made a move, 
said to the man, " Now kneel right down here." 
They all kneeled, and I too. I felt sorry that 
my delay had been used by the devil quickly 
and taken advantage of, and might keep him 
out of God. I worked my way along towards 
the struggling man to get my hands on him 
after all. But in my attempt to lay my hands 
on him, I was seized by a strong man. Brother 

T , a preacher, and pulled back, so I had 

to give it up. They prayed, exhorted, and 
counseled him, and tried hard and long to 
' ' smuggle ' ' him into the harbor of perfect love, 
while at the altar, and then took him to the tent 
to finish up the hoped for triumph on their plan. 
But it was a ' ' strangled birth. ' ' The Lord 
called me the next day to confess this publicly, 
which I did, and found relief; but I had no 
more to do about it afterwards, but still felt 
sorry for him. At the same meeting, while 
singing 

'* Shall I, for fear of feeble man, 
The Spirit's course in me restrain? 
Or, undismayed in deed and word, 
Be a true witness of my Lord? " 

I was slain — fell on the platform. I heard 

Brother R preaching after a little, with 

life and plainness. The Lord told me to rise 
and lay my hands on his head there before the 
vast congregation and many ministers too from 
a distance. It was unlooked for, and it seemed 
as if it could do no good with such unbelief in 
those gifts now, and especially such prejudice 



CONSCIENCE VISION AND REVELATION. 



93 



as I knew was against me and the Nazarites in 
general. I asked the Lord to excuse me on 
that ground. I was let up soon, but an old 
minister in his talk east reflections on Brother 

R for his sharp uncompromising sermon 

at the close, which caused him to be grieved, 
and he burst into tears and dropped on his 
knees facing the congregation, weeping aloud. 
The Lord said, '' Go now and lay your hands 
on his head and pray for him.'" I started in- 
stantly, but the loj'd of the meeting said, ''Here, 
you can not come over here." I then saw 
where I could get to him another way. I 
turned and another preacher grabbed me, but 
by that time the Lord had got my will in des- 
perate motion. I got to him, and said, as I 
dropped on my knees before him, ' ' Brother 

R , the Lord has sent me to pray for yOu." 

^^ Do pray for me," said he, while weeping 
aloud still. I added, "and put my hands on 
your head." " no," said he; but my hands 
had already come on his sweating head and the 
spell was instantly broken on him, and he arose, 
but I went over backwards, laughing and cry- 
ing too, for joy, with such love as I never re- 
member having had for any man in all my life; 
such tender love, 1 could have cheerfully given 
my life for him. I cared not for the whole 
world what they said or thought of me. 1 knew 
where I was and what I was doing. I was con- 
scious of two roars of the Spirit coming out of 
me while I lay laughing, a few minutes before 
I arose. They told me afterwards that three 
persons fell when I was made to roar — two men 
and one woman. I saw the woman laying after 
I arose. 

Now, I have to say that this was a remedy 
which the Lord provided after excusing me 
from the other call; and this first even in so 
public a manner, was but a remedy for my ne- 
glect or delay, and shrinking from laying my 
hands on the same preacher once in Erie Co., 
when he was going to preach, the first time I 
had failed to obey God promptly after he had 
called me to leave all some six or eight months ; 
I had been obedient. But these were new- 
crosses and duties out of the ordinary custom, 
and was making me prominent, a position I had 
always chosen to avoid. I had once, at a camp- 
meeting at Alleghany, Cattaraugus county, gone 
into the stand while Brother Stiles was preach- 
ing, and laid my hands on his head, he respond- 
ing Amen to my request to the Lord, viz. : Let 
the Holy Ghost come on him. Lord hless 
Brother Stiles." It was about the first thing 
I remember after being brought by the Spirit 
while in the tent to this decision, viz. : I will. 
But I fell backwards, while I heard the Amen 
repeated by the preacher who had left his ser- 
mon and turned facing me, saying. Amen — 
Amen. 

CONSCIEXCE. 

There is very little suffering now for con- 
science sake. The martyrs had a conscience 
which they coidd hot violate. They were 
burned at the stake and to death, because they 
would not offend God. When five words, dic- 
tated by their enemies for them to say, would 



have saved their lives, one of them said to the 
sympathizing friends who were holding out 
presents to induce him to recant: " If you love 
my soul take these things away." 

The early Christians could not war, go into 
battle, but could suffer death because of it, and 
keep a clear conscience before the Lord. The 
Quakers in England were fined and imprisoned 
because they could not conscientiously take off' 
their hat to reverence the king or court. Wm, 
Penn was fined for contempt of court for not 
taking off his hat himself (others did it,) when 
he came into the court-room, and then was sent 
to jail for months because he could not with a 
good conscience pay the fine imposed. * Ste- 
phenson, Marmaduke, and Mary Dyer, were 
hanged in Boston, because they were condemned 
for being Quakers, and the judgments of God 
followed the people heavy for years about that 
region after their execution. Mary Dyer was 
released through the influence of her son, but 
she came back again the next spring, went and 
told them that. the Lord had sent her there 
again to have them hang her and fill up their 
cup; and they did hang her. Charles Wesley 
kept on preaching when a loaded gun was 
pointed to his breast, threatened with death if 
he did not stop. But with boldness he talked 
on for God and for souls. He could not stop 
with a clear conscience when God told him to 
preach. Many of the Quakers I have known 
have suffered their cattle and hay-stacks sold 
for a tenth their value, because their conscience 
would not allow them either to train or pay the 
fine imposed on them. I could not with a clear 
conscience promise the court nor the sheriff at 
Angelica jail I would not go to Brother Baker's 
and that region, to be released from prison, be- 
cause God would be offended with me. And 
so with all the above cases, because it would 
be done for the devil, yielding to the devil's 
stipulated conditions and plans. We can not 
do any thing for the devil without offending 
God. So the devil's blind children call us ivil- 
ful, stubborn, &c., and think we might bend, 
yield a little, so not to provoke their wrath. 
We could and would cheerfully for the Lord, 
if the devil did not want it done. This is the 
reason why God will not let us do it, nor com- 
promise, as many would do now. to save their 
lives or to keep out of prison. This is a holy 
war of principle. 

YISION AXD EEVELATION. 

In 1860, while sitting on a platform at a 
grove meeting in Wales, Erie county, while 

Brother M was talking, after his wife and 

Sister F had preached, a fearful heaviness 

came over me, seeming as if it would almost 
annihilate me, it was so sudden and heavy. 
Then I saw a vision. Platoons of devils in 
rank and file, compacted like an army, filling 
all the space clear down to hell on an inclined 
plane from the platform, connected with this 
Revelation from the Lord, viz., that He had 
called me to " use me up in fighting them. " I 

* It was here he wrote his work, "No Cross, no 
Crown." 



^4 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



arose on my feet as Brother M closed, and 

stepped aside; I uttered these words: '■'■ I am 
going up Calvary. ^^ I seemed to be about half 
way up the mountain, on the east side. As I 

uttered the words, Brother M , standing at 

my right side, yelled and was thrown some 
eight or ten feet through the air off the plat- 
form, and fell on the ground in front of the 
large congregation present. I talked a few 
words more, but sat down happy, and found 
my strength had left me in part. A Sister 

P stood with her eyes open, motionless 

some hours, stiffened by the power of God, 
while two others lay strangling, one of them as 
if she was going to die, and the other had her 
eyes wide open — both preacher's wives. I had 
to carry the bread and wine, and put it to the 
lips of one of them. There was awful power 
there, and some mysteries to my mind. But 
God was in it all. 

THE MARTYR SPIRIT. 

In 1861, while I was talking one evening in 
the meeting-house at Collins Centre, Erie Co. , 
N. Y. , to a large congregation, crowded full, I 
felt such a strange power suddenly seize my 
body, especially my thighs, that it seemed that 
fire would not give me pain. And as I told of 
it I was laid over at the corner of the altar by 
the power of God. I had thought always be- 
fore, while reading the book of Martyrs, that 
it was a dreadful death. But God has showed 
me since and by it that the martyrs did not 
suffer much, unless by fear, unbelief. Once 
since, at a quarterly meeting on Pompey Hill, 
in Onondaga Co., while speaking a few words 
in the altar after the sacrament, I told of one 
of the martyrs who, when his flesh was mostly 
burned from his bones, called out, " Here, you 
Catholics who have wanted to see a miracle, 
here is a man most burned up, and not a parti- 
cle of pain." That same martyr spirit seized 
my body again ; so twice I have felt it on me. A 

Sister D , while bearing the cross at one of 

the Bergen camp- meetings, felt this same power, 
I suppose, from her descriptiop of her feelings, 
they " quenched the violence of fire.'' ^ 

CASTING OUT DEVILS. 

A young man, nineteen years old, from Bel- 
fast, Allegany county, N. Y., by the name of 

James C , who came to one of the Bergen 

camp-meetings; when near the close, a young 
friend of his saw he acted strangely. He came 
to the tent and asked me to go and see James, 
that something ailed him. I went ; saw there 
was something out of order, but my eyes were 
" hoi den." That night he raved like a maniac, 
jumped, whistled, kicked some of the women, 
one he kicked in the neck hard, saying, as he 
threw one preacher across the tent as you could 
a cat, " Samson ^s here! " But he was finally 
overpowered by seven men, who carried him 
away about half a mile to a preacher's house. 
They had to bind him; but the Lord laid the 
cross on three of us to go and pray for James. 
We w^nt, and one of the preachers of the house 
turned us out of the house, supposing that they 
had got him soothed by rubbing camphor on 



him, and did not want him disturbed. The 
other preacher, the father of the family, came 
and found us on the door-step, and he turned 
us out of the door-yard. Then we went into 
highway, under some trees, to pray for the poor 
sufferer, but they came and threatened us with 
arrest if we did not leave. But we were intent 
on his deliverance ; said we would go to State 
Prison or to death. They left us for the Sheriff 
at the ground, but before the company returned 
we were all fallen by the power of God, and the 
victory and witness too had come. The last I 
remember, I was bent backwards over the root 
of the tree, holding James by faith up before 
me to Jesus, saying, '^ Jesus, give me James 
from the deviV Suddenly the Holy Ghost 
laugh came with the witness. The next morn- 
ing he was walking the door-yard; and has 
been to the army since as a soldier". But we 
were all taken prisoners while thus slain, 
had to be supported, a man on each side; but 
before we reached the camp-ground, the Sheriff 
and most of his company were under conviction 
— took us to our respective tents, and said they 
had rather take us to heaven than lo jail, where 
we all supposed we were going. Thus ihe Sam- 
son devil was cast out; but how little the 
preachers understood that faith that had con- 
quered. 

Another case. — I had traveled all night and 
nearly all day, when I came to a man' s house 
in Chemung county. I said to a stranger at his 
gate, "Can you harbor me over night; I am a 
traveling preacher." ''I would be glad to," 
said he, " but we have a woman here who will 
abuse you if she knows you are here; she has 
been swearing and raving three weeks." ''What 
ails her — is she possessed of the devil ? " "I 
don't know but she is." "Well, this is the 
place the Lord has sent me, and has given me 
power to cast out devils. " (An old maid fifty- 
seven years old became deranged by the Advent 
meetings and doctrine nineteen years before, and 
now for nine nights they could not sleep. ) While 
at the breakfast table the next morning, (she 
had not seen me before, only heard of me, ) she 
began to talk about beasts with the hair in their 
mouth, and about the lion. I said the lion is 
the strongest of the beasts. She said, ' ' You 
lie,'' and took up a knife, threatening to cut 
my throat. But the power came on me, and I 
grabbed her, and we went over on the floor and 
I held her until the fierce look left her eyes, 
saying, " Barbara, they have not loved you as 
they should; but Jesus has loved you, and sent 
me to love you and pray for you." No one 
said anything to me of the family, but after a 
while she gave up; I felt her nerves relax; she 
dropped the knife. The Lord told me to let her 
up. She took up the chair, sat down awhile, 
then went up stairs, relieved and in her right 
mind. She ate nothing, nor was heard again 
till the next morning she ate breakfast. 

One case more. — Some converts at one of the 
Cazenovia camp-meetings had persuaded a 
young woman to get on her knees with them in 
one corner of the tent. Soon the Presiding El- 
der' s wife came and asked me to go and help 
those young folks. The girl was lying down. 



MORALITY SHORT BREATH SYMPATHY. 



95 



writhing and choking. I laid my hand upon 
her head, but she twisted like a snake, and 
looked at me with a vengeance. We began to 

sing 

" Jesus, the name high over all, 
In hell, or earth, or sky ; 
Angels and men before Him fall. 
And devils fear and fly." 

But the unbelief of the older ones was desper- 
ate — preachers too. They grabbed to pull my 
hands from her head, tried to pull me over, but 
we sang on, and Elsy was delivered from the 
devil. She soon reached her hand to me and 
then arose, embracing and kissing her mates, 
her countenance lit up with a heavenly radi- 
ance, and went to her tent happy. Very few 
religious assemblies would be able to endure 
the excitement of devils being cast out where 
the struggle was tight and the fight with devils 
was hot, as with Jesus. 



CHAPTER XYII. 



MISCELLAXEOLS. 



—MORALITY. — SHORT BREATH 
SYMPATHY. 



A professed Christian friend at the jail door, 
Angelica, during the court, with others whose 
mistaken sympathies would have me forfeit a 
princinle of honor and of loyalty to God, re- 
questing me to promise the court I would not 
go to Brother Baker's again, where my clothes 
are being washed; a Christian brother, whose 
friends in unbelief got me here. Then the 
whole court and all concerned in my persecu- 
tion and imprisonment, would cheerfully con- 
sent to my release from jail at once. The friend 
said, "You believe in morality, don't you?" 
I said, • ' Yes, I believe in obeying God. ' ' 
' ' Well, you believe in morality, don' t you ? ' ' 
he insisted. I said, '• JforaZif^/-^ What moral- 
ity ? " ' • An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a 
tooth." This is the principle of moral justice. 
But Jesus said, ••' I say unto you, resist not evil, 
but if a man smite you on one cheek, ofier also 
the other; if he compel you to go with him a 
mile, go with him two; if he sue thee at the 
law and take away thy coat, let him have thy 
cloak also, that ye may be the children of your 
Father which is in heaven, for He is kind to 
to the unthankful and the evil." ♦' Morality ^^ 
of the extortioners, who shave on their money, 
are covetous, and yet they are respectable mem- 
bers of the church — they are called Christians; 
and moral, Christian men (so-called) head an 
army in battle to slaughter thousands of human 
beings in an hour, all unprepared to meet God. 
Yet these are called moral. Men persecute and 
try to hinder the righteous from serving and 
worshipping God according to the dictates of 
their own conscience, and yet they are esteemed 
moral. Men take the advantage oflered by the 
bankrupt law, or make an assignment — cheat 
their creditors and become rich at others' ex- 
pense, and then soon the people run these moral 
men for public office, even for members of the 
Legislatures, to make our laws. They, of course, 



must be considered moral. Here are some of 
the ntimerous standards of morality, and yet 
most religious people are struck with horror — a 
panic seizes them when some neio mode of the 
Spirit is heard of, leading some of God's chil- 
dren to overthrow and destroy the works of the 
devil, like the Jews strain at a gnat and swal- 
low a camel. They do not believe that it is the 
living God that makes them feel so troubled and 
bad with conviction for their unbeliei. It comes 
in contact with their former and stereotyped 
ideas and education, even from the Bible itself 
in some instances, just as the chief priests of 
the Jews rejected the teachings of Jesus Christ, 
which teachings and spirit they thought was 
going to destroy the '• law and the prophets." 
But Jesus said, •' Think not that I have come 
to destroy, but io fulfill.''^ But not indeed to 
perpetuate the same teachings, standards, modes, 
etc., of worshipping and serving God, but say- 
ing, '' The Father seeketh such to worship Him 
as worship Him in spirit and in truth; in new- 
ness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the 
letter.-^ The icill of God is and always icas 
the only immutable standard of morality or of 
acceptable righteousness. But God's will, as 
expressed in regard to the conduct of the Jews, 
found in their law — called now the moral law — 
cannot be the invariable rule or the will of God 
always, to every person, in every climate, and at 
all times, (i e. , the letter, ) because at some places 
on the globe the day lasts several months, and 
in other places the night. The Jewish Sabbath, 
commencing at sun-set and ending the next day 
at sun-set, was to them ''holy time." Then, 
too, most of the commandments in the law were 
prohibitory, to show the sinfulness of sin. "The 
law entered that the offense might abound." 
And even the requisitions, viz., love, (on which 
Jesus said hang all the law and the prophets,) 
coidd not be kept by an unchanged, unrenewed 
sinner; yet it shows him his need of mercy and 
regeneration. God crosses our path with His 
law. His icill, until He gets us governed; then 
He holds us without law, except the " Zaio of 
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, viz., love, 
which makes us free from the law of sin and 
death." The words at the close of the general 
rules as found in the Methodist discipline, bring 
out this vital truth, viz. : the manner of and 
knowing for each one what the loill of God is 
concerning him, viz.: "All these things we 
know, that God, by His Spirit, writes on all 
truly awakened hearts." (See discipline show- 
ing that God makes His will known to a sinner 
when He awakens him by His Spirit, even if 
he cannot read the Bible. ) To illustrate this 
truth : One wicked, gambling, swearing sinner, 
for pride and fashion, wore his beard without 
shaving at all, when it was not ^o common as 
now. Btit God got hold of Hiram B- 



He 

revolutionized him and then sanctified him. 
Then very soon the Lord began to govern 

Brother B . He showed him He wanted 

him to cut off his hair, his beard, which he had 
worn for the devil and pride. Another, Brother 

R , who had always shaved and despised 

the " old bear ' ' appearance of long beards — al- 
most felt guilty to go to meeting with three days' 



96 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



or a weeks' growth of beard on his face, if he 
had not reached home on Saturday night before 
twelve o'clock, so to not shave on Sunday. 
God called him and made it very clear that He 
did not want him to cut the hair (which He 
had caused to grow on his face, ) from it any 
more. Although it was a great humiliation 
and a cross, yet he had promised obedience. 
He stated it publicly in a tent, and said, after 
giving the history of the light which had been 
on his mind for months, ''lam done shaving,'''' 
and I stand a witness that that brother has 
never shaved himself since, seven years. An- 
other, of a tavern-keeper, now an old man, who 
told me that after the Lord converted his soul 
from a dreadful dark state of intidelity, that he 
cut his hair once, but the Lord soon showed 
him His will, viz., that he did not want him to 
cut his hair off any more, and he never has 
since, now over forty years. Although some of 
his brethren were going to deal with him for 
wearing "long hair," contrary to the Bible. 
But the Presiding Elder said, " Perhaps Brother 

W can not get to heaven and cut off his 

hair." So it ended. I wish we had more such 
Presiding Elders and preachers of such com- 
mon sense even now to check such fault finders 
and little Popes. Amen. Here, now, are 
three persons who have received the knowledge 
of the will of God concerning them, and 
obeyed, and yet two of them had to do, to 
please God, contrary to the plain letter of the 
Bible precepts, viz.. ''Ye shall not round the 
corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar 
the corners of your beard." (See Lev. xix, 
27). And the other case of long hair: Paul 
says, (2d Cor., xi, 14,) "Doth not nature itself 
teach you that if a man have long hair it is a 
shame unto him." The "entranced female" 
who saw heaven and its glorious inhabitants, 
said, " They all seemed to be moved by a mys- 
terious influence, proceeding from the throne 
of God.'" This, then, is the law, viz., the will 
of God. " Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." 
This must be the intention of all who please 
God, angels or men. He says, as to the out- 
side letter service, "'Sacrifice and offering," 
" Thou hast had no pleasure,^' is not pleased 
with it. This is the standard of morality. 
" I delight to do thy will, O God," "By the 
which will we are sanctified," (see Heb. x, 10, 
and context.) If the thousands in the land 
who are not free and are not saved would just 
stop, with decision, all their performances, and 
say " What does God want of me — his will now 
— and I will do it, whatever it is, anything, I 
am ready. They would not be at loss long to 
know, and they would be made free. 

''MATCHLESS SANATIVE." 

Quacks and patent doctors, when they wish 
to recommend their nostrums and their inven- 
tions, they usually seek some notice or recom- 
mendation which will commend itself, and thus 
inspire confidence in the author and also in the 
sanative or curative properties of the medicine, 
so that strict attention will be observed to the 
rules and manner of the prescriptions, in order 
to effect a sale and a cure. One author, some 



years since, came out with the above recom- 
mendation, viz., '^ Matchless sanative," which 
signifies a sanative or mode and means of cure 
which has no equal, matchless. Now, I am no 
quack or patent doctor in religion, but am an 
Agent of and for Jesus Christ, and I am author- 
ized by Him who "is alive for evermore," to 
advertise a matchless sanative for the entire 
cure of human beings from the guilt and all 
the consequences of sin in this life, and conse- 
quently of that which is to come, by simple 
faith and obedience to the will of God. Here 
is the ''tonic," viz., 1st, negatively, "Except 
ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink 
His blood, ye have no life in you;" 2d, posi- 
tively, " My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood 
is drink indeed; whoso eateth my flesh and 
drinketh my blood' dwelleth in me and I in 
him." The blood of Christ is the only cure, 
the only tonic or sanative, to purge the con- 
science and cleanse the heart from sin. (See 
Heb. ix, 14, ) " How much more shall the blood 
of Christ purge your conscience from dead 
works, (formalism,) to serve the living God?" 
And " if we walk in the light as He is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and 
the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us 
from all sin;" (see 1st John, i, 7,) Third, and 
lastly, the mode of administering this medicine 
in order to insure a cure, especially if your case 
is a chronic one, or even a relapse of the dis- 
ease, (viz., " lost thy first love,") 1st, admit in 
yourself that God alone must have your case 
and you too, if you are ever cured; 2d, consent 
to be led in a way you have not known; not 
on your plans, nor as in your former experience, 
because it never comes in that manner; 3d, 
consent and determine to trust God, your Re- 
deemer and Saviour, if you think He is yet 
alive, by making the following vow, viz., 1st, 
I will not allow this getting right with God to 
be put off any longer ; 2d, I will now go (just 
as I am, ) into my room or closet, and I will 
never leave there until I "feel after Him and 
find Him," stay till He comes. Now, I ask, 
will you do this? If you say, yes, I will, then 
I am authorized to warrarit a cure. I have 
proved it ; others have proved it, and are free. 
Do not experiment, but settle it with the will 
before you begin. T he battle is then half fought. 

WRESTLING JACOB. 

1. In vain thou strugglest to get free— 

I never will imloose my hold; 
Art then the man that died for me ? 

The secret of thy love unfold ; 
Wrestling, I will not let thee go, 
Till I thy name, thy nature know— 

Thy natui'e know. 

2. Although my shrinking flesh complain 

And murmui" to contend so long, 
I rise superior to my pain- 
When I am weak, then I am strong; 
And when my all of strength shall fail, 
I shall with Jesus Chi-ist prevail — 

With Christ prevail. 

3. Wilt thou not yet to me reveal 

Thy new, unutterable name ? 
Tell me, I still beseech thee, tell, 

To know it now, resolved I am; 
Wrestling, I will not let thee go, 
Till I thy name, thy nature know— . 
Thy nature know 



SPECIAL PRECETT TWO SECRETS FOL-ND. 



97 



4. Yield to me now, for I am weak, 

Yet confident in sell-despair ; 
Speak to my heart, in blessiugg speak. 

Be conquered by my instant prayer ; 
Speak, or thon never hence shalt move, 
And tell me if thy name be love — 

Thy name be love. 

5. 'Tis love, 'tis love, thon died'st for me. 

I hear thy whisper in my heart ; 
The morning breaks, the shadows flee — 

Pure, universal love thou art; 
To me, to all, thy bowels move, 
Thy nature and thy name is love— 

Thy name is love 

6. Lame as I am, I take the prey, 

Hell, earth and sin with ease o'ercome ; 
I leap for joy, pursue my way. 

And as a bounding haft fly home ; 
Through all eternity to prove 
Thy nature and thy name is love — 

Thy name is love. 

Make the above vow, and then sing the.se 
lines while on your knees, before the Lord, in 
your closet, in the spirit of them, and the Lord 
will bring you in possession of all you hunger 
and thirst for — into the "• Holy of Holies;' ' yea, 
into God. 

N. B. — If the hymn is not long enough to 
bring you through, then sing it over and over, 
all or a part of it, or put another with or to it; 
then go over it again, get up, and walk and 
sing, but keep your promise. Here is the issue 
with the devil and with your unbelieving self. 
Remember, the darkest hour of the night is just 
before the day dawns. Abraham felt " a horror 
and a darkness ^^ come down upon him just 
before the ' ' burning lamp and smoking furnace 
came down on the oflFering,'' which gave him 
the witness that the covenant was accepted and 
ratified, on the part of God, and on the condi- 
tions He had proposed. Qod icill not come to 
our terms until our will is entirely subject to 
His will. 

SPECIAL PRECEPT. 

" Greet one another with a holy kiss.'' This 
is one of the most expressive modes of showing 
our love to each other, that God has provided. 
But if there had been no danger of neglect or 
of shrinking from this outward expression of 
love, (and thereby to "let your love abound 
more and more in knowledge and in all judg- 
ment,") this precept probably would not have 
been written. And, too, the Apostle being a 
prisoner, he could not, by oral precept and ex- 
ample, enforce this duty of Christians to each 
other, although they were all taught of God, of 
the Spirit, to love one another, and also the 
command of the Saviour, viz. : " This I com- 
mand you, that ye love one another as I have 
loved you. " The Apostles being prisoners, and 
under the authority of civil officers, could not 
teach the disciples of Jesus, so they had re- 
course to writing. Here is the source of some 
parts of the New Testament. John was ban- 
ished to the Isle of Patmos. If they could have 
murdered him by casting him into hot oil, we 
perhaps would never have had the Book of Rev- 
elations. But by having these letters, and the 
account given as records, seen in the four Evan- 
gelists, viz., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, 
the writers of the historv of Jesus and the Acts 



of the Apostles, and of the Christians consti- 
tuting the church in that day, it carried the 
church (the few who survived the corruption) 
in and through what is termed the " Dark 
Ages," as a kind of detector. But it is not the 
Bible, nor any part of it, that makes Christians 
— it is this love which makes and constitutes a 
Christian; and being led and guided by the 
Spirit, who inspired that love in the heart, and 
who alone maintains that flame of love and 
union with Jesus, which makes us fruitful 
branches of the vine. And He it is who 
prompts it and leads to greet the child of God 
— whether man or woman — '%ith a holy kiss;" 
and whoever restrains or refuses to give it out- 
ward expression, when felt and directed by its 
promptings within, will invariably grieve the 
Holy Spirit of God; lose the love and peace 
with God, and bring darkness and confusion on 
themselves, and also upon those they neglected 
to kiss. There is wonderful jjoicer in a kiss of 
love. I have seen several blessed so they lost 
their strength and fell by the power of God, by 
being greeted in this manner, and the power of 
temptation broken instantly on others, when 
God has sent that melting, dissolving expres- 
sion of His love, and has been obeyed promptly. 
Give, then, ye disciples of Jesus your Master, 
this expression of your love to those belonging 
to the family of God, without hesitation or re- 
straint, when inspired by it, and do not be par- 
ticular or careful about the circumstances, or 
who are present, — remember God is present, 
and He will be pleased when you follow these 
feelings and this familiarity with one another. 
It is love which constitutes the happiness of 
heaven. Get it, if you have it not, and then 
do not restrain its promptings. 

TWO SECRETS FOUXD. 

Mercy B , a young woman, living then at 

Montezuma, Cayuga Co., with Brother Warner, 
one of the traveling preachers of the Oneida 
Conference, and stationed there in 1863; she 
had obtained the blessing of holiness at the 
camp-meeting in the summer, on the Auburn 
district, and she had been pressed by the spirit 
ever since the camp-meeting to make some 
noise, and was so fearful that she would make 
some strange ado or noise of some kind, that 
she would be ashamed of, that she many times 
did bury her face in the bed clothes while on 
her knees by the side of her bed before retiring 
for the night, as she confessed to me, this first 
secret after being made free, in the following 
manner, viz.. First, in a prayer meeting at a 
private house in the village. The Spirit made 
me roar once or twice, and she was t7'ied with 
me, then an entire stranger. But being intro- 
duced, shook hands, but said nothing then. . A 
few evenings afterwards, while in a prayer 
meeting in the meeting house, the power of 
God was so manifested that Mercy screamed 
before she was aware of it, with all her caution. 
She said her mouth came open, and the loud, 
shrill scream came out. Next, in a season of 
prayer in the family, Mercy screamed and lost 
her strength, and Brother Warner and I left 
her Iving in the rocking-chair, head and arms 
(1.3) 



98 



NAZARITE THEOLOGY. 



not able to move. The next time I shall men- 
tion was on Sunday, in the class-meeting, while 
she was speaking she screamed and fell back 
into her seat, happy as a girl could well be, as 
she said afterwards. But it was mortifying and 
crucifying to her ambition and to her will, in- 
somuch that she tried and even wished she 
could be blessed some other way. Then she 
began to avoid me, and, after a little, distressed 
with my presence, would leave the room, which 
I had noticed, and when I inquired the cause, 
she said, ' ' Brother Reddy, I feel so distressed 
when you come into the house, I can not stay 
here; there is something about you that is 
wrong, I feel so distressed all through my hody. ' ' 
I said, ' • Mercy, your toill is not entirely given 
up to God." She said, *'I know I am all 
given up; I am willing the Lord shall use and 
lead me just as He will." Brother "Warner 
then proposed a season of prayer, but Mercy 
went to one corner of the room, so distressed 

with being close to me. Brother W said, 

"Mercy, take your chair and kneel down close 
to Brother Reddy, and pray for him, and you 
will feel better, and get help.' ' She finally did, 
and prayed for me, and she found the other 
secret, viz., her unbelief in reference to me and 
herself too, that she was under conviction for 
her unwillingness to be led in such a singular 
way, and be a speckled bird in the flock, be 
led to try others, to be so dead and separated 
from the great mass that profess religion. The 
old temptation, but a little changed, so as to 
bear more directly and heavily upon the instru- 
ment which God had sent to help her away 
from the devil into that happiness and freedom 
which she had for a time enjoyed. The sub- 
tlety of the devil, in his hatred to me and her 
Holy Ghost screams, had made it seem like a 
truth that she was all given up, will and all, 
and that it must be something in me or about 
me which was not just right in the sight of God. 
But when she was persuaded by Brother War- 
ner to resist the temptation, to kneel by and 
pray for me, the spell was broken on her instead 
of a change in me. She had no distress then 
with my presence, then it was agreeable ; but 
while she harbored the devil, though disguised, 
she could not endure me. ' ' He that receiveth 
you receiveth me." — Jesus. 

Another young woman, referred to in the 
thirteenth chapter of this work, who finally 
made the confession and disclosure of the whole 
secret; said to me at first she could not look at 
me, could not look into my face, it distressed 
her so. I suppose God' s Spirit was then calling 
her to make the confession to me, that she 
might be healed then. But she suffered more 
than a year after this before I knew fully why I 
was burdened so deeply whenever I came where 
she was. She could not be healed until the 
wrong on her part and the secret was out; 
then God could heal her body and keep her 
whole, if she did not become ashamed of it or 
doubt some part or all of it. "Sin no more, 
lest a worse thing come upon thee." Unbelief, 
doubt, is the worst sin in the whole of moral 
actions which cflFends God; yea, it is the root 
of all sin; it makes God the liar instead of the 



devil. " He that believeth not God hath made 
Eim a liar. " (See 1st John, v, 10. ) 

Another woman, a Sister White, from Elmira, 
while I was holding a meeting in Cayuga Co., 
in conversation with her a few minutes where 
she was taking care of a sick sister; she came 
to the meeting the next Sunday, came forward 
and found the sanctifying love of God, and was 
one happy woman ; she lost her strength when 
the work was done. She said, while I con- 
versed with her about a clean heart a few days 
before, she began to tremble and was afraid she 
would fall out of her chair, from the inward 
agitation. She arose hastily and left the room, 
but thought it was caused by the wonderful 
stories she had heard about me. The Spirit 
thus seals conviction. See the case of Moses, 
who had to vail his face so they could endure 
the light. See also the case of Stephen, " They 
saw his face as it had been the face of an an- 
gel. " God thus makes us his representatives. 
"I said, ye are God's." This is God's way 
to save. 

THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 

1. O, who'll stand up with Jesus, 
The lowly Nazarene ? 
And raise the hlood-stained banner 
Amidst the hosts of sin. 

Chorus— The Cross of Christ I'll cherish, 
Its crucifixions bear, 
Assured I'll never perish, 
Since Jesus leads me there. 

2 Ah, who Mdll follow Jesus 

Amidst reproach and shame ? 
Where others shrink or falter, 
Confess the Naz'rite Name. 

The Cross of Christ, &c. 

3. Though fiercoL may rage the battle, 

And wild the storm may blow, 
Though friends may leave forever. 
Who will with Jesus go ? 

The Cross of Christ, &c. 

4. Though foes should madly gather, 

And devils rage and roar, 
Who'll tread the fiery furnace 
With Jesus evermore ? 

The Cross of Christ, &c. 

5. My all to Christ I've given, 

My talents, time, and voice, 
Myself, my reputation; 
This path is now my choice. 

The Cross of Chiist, &c. 

6. O, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, 

My all-suflicient Friend, 

Still hold me to Thy bosom, 

'Till toils and trials end. 

The Cross of Christ, &c. 



DOXOLOGIES FOR THE TABLE. 
CHRIST IN THE HOME. 

Welcome, welcome, gi-acious Saviour, 

Welcome to this dwelling-place; 
Here, if we have found Thy favor, 

Let the smilings of Thy face 
Kest upon us, rest upon us, 

As a cloud of glorious gi-ace ; 
Rest upon us, rest upon us, 

As a cloud of glorious grace. 



ARTICLES OF RELIGION. 



99 



2. Come, as when to Martha's dwelling 

Thou did'st seek a calm retreat; 
As when Mary, softly stealing, 

Sat in meekness at Thy feet. 
So in mercy, so in mercy. 

Bless us as we sit at meat; 
So in mercy, so in mercy, 

Bless lis as we sit at meat. — Amen. 

NEVER UNTIMELY. 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise Him all creatures here below ; 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, 
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. — Amen. 

INVITATION AND "-THANKSGIVING.'' 

1. Be present at this table, Lord, 
Be here and every where adored ; 
These creatures bless, and ^'ant that we 
May feast in Paradise with Thee. 

In Paradise, in Paradise, 

May feast in Paradise with Thee. — Amen. 

2. We thank Thee, Lord, for this our food ; 
We thank Thee more for Jesus' blood; 
Let manna to our souls be given— 

The Bread of Life, sent down from heaven. 
Sent down from heaven, sent dowri from 

heaven, 
The Bread of Life, sent dovni from heaven. 

— Amen. 



TEN ARTICLKS OF RELIGION. 

1st. God made man in His own image, "pure 
and holy, consequently happy like Himself, and 
designed him to be thus, with an increase while 
in union with Him and in obedience to His will 
on earth and in heaven forever. 

2d. The origin of evil^ of sin, was in the ac- 
tion or consent of the will of a holy being, a 
creature of God, moving without consulting the 
will of the Creator; and hence the sinning an- 
gels, their downfall, the origin of devils, -'Who 
kept not their first estate, but left their own 
habitation,''^ (but not in heaven. ) 

3d. These ^rs^ sinners by stealth gained first 
the attention, then consent, of the will to rea- 
son, then struck with doubt, the spirit or mind 
of Eve, moving her with lying or deceptive 
motives to do the will of Satan, instead of the 
will of God. "Satan beguiled me, and I did 
eat." 

4th. That satan struck the poison of sin in 
man first, and the most deeply on the finest 
sensibilities, and on the most delicate parts, the 
affections and passions, and there took his seat. 
Hence the " aprons" to hide those parts, and 
also the unbelief seen in the care, then in the 
shame, covering the (now) secrets first. 

5th. The remedy for the evils of sin origin- 
ated in the love and wisdom of God inventing 
or devising redemption by Jesus Christ, as a 
substitute, a scheme, found outside of the law 
and ordinary principles of His government and 
unthought of previously. (See Gen. vi, 6.)* 

* And hence the word Saviour, after sin came, and 
then death. 



6th. That Jesus Christ, by His sacrificial 
death, brought back the rjJCe of man, and the 
forfeited kingdom of Adam. And he com- 
menced taking possession on the day of Pente- 
cost, by the Spirit and by His servants and 
representatives, in or by the miracles and signs 
which confounded the people and the devil too. 

7th. That the system of salvation provided is 
complete, in its design and adaptation, to ac- 
complish the full and complete remedy for all 
the evils of sin in this life. Renewing us in 
the "image of God," as at the first, and at the 
close of life immortalizing the body by the 
power of Christ's Resurreciion, who is, spiritu- 
ally, " The Tree of Life, which is in the midst 
of the Paradise of God. ' ' 

8th. That the Holy Ghost has come to carry 
out this scheme, and finish up this restoration 
in all who believe and obey Him; imparting to 
each some miraculous and adapted gift or sign, 
thus equipping them for this aggressive war, 
and whose guidance and authority they regard 
as supreme here, above all law or rule even of 
the Bible itself, now as ever subject to His in- 
terpretation. 

9th. That there will be a general and final 
judgment at the last day of time; over which 
Jesus Christ will preside as King and Judge. 
From whose lips will be pronounced the unal- 
terable destiny or doom of men and angels, 
according as their works have been: "They 
that have done good to the resurrection of life, 
and they that have done evil to the resurrection 
of damnation." 

10th. That there is a heaven where God and 
all pure beings do and will live and dwell for- 
ever, and none others but the pure; where was 
never any pain or sin, because not a probation- 
ary state or trial, but of reward, where happi- 
ness is unmixed and increasing — duration 
loithout ]end. And also a hell of fire in the 
future world, where the devil, his angels and all 
men and beings like him, sinners in disposition 
and temper, and unrenewed, will be punished 
with unmitigated sufierings, and increasing in 
endless duration, and no sympathy existing 
among them, nor between the inhabitants of 
the two worlds. No hope of release from the 
woes of the one, nor danger of ever forfeiting 
the safety and bliss of the other. " Be ever 
with the Lord; " " Wherefore, comfort one an- 
other with these words." While the wicked 
are cursed and doomed, with the devil and his 
angels, to everlasting fire, where is weeping, 
wailing and gnashing of teeth; "where their 
worm dieth not^and the fire is not quenched.^ ^ 

" Oh, wretched state of deep deepair, 

To see my God remove. 
And fix my doleful station where 

I must not taste His love. 
Since now thou standest at the door, 

let me feel thee near, 

And make my peace with God before 

1 at thy bar appear." 



(NOT) 



THE END. 



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